00:00In a world increasingly fractured, ASEAN continues to champion the principle of neutrality.
00:06But is that claim still credible?
00:08Or has ASEAN's relevance been diluted by internal divisions, external pressures,
00:13and a failure to act decisively on key issues?
00:16As leaders gather for the 46th ASEAN Summit, we ask,
00:19is ASEAN truly steering the region or simply staying afloat?
00:23We speak to geopolitical analysts and fellow of the National Council of Professors, Dr Azmi Hassan.
00:31Well, one thing for sure, it is not an easy task to adopt both centrality and also to adopt neutrality at the same time,
00:41especially for ASEAN with 10 members, which are so diverse when we are talking about their relationship
00:48with the competing superpowers, China and also the United States.
00:54But again, if we look at Malaysia, for example, it's not about rhetoric, it's not about on paper only,
01:03but again, Malaysia has demonstrated that we can be neutral and also we can be involved in a lot of other things.
01:11For example, we received President Xi Jinping a few weeks ago and after that, Prime Minister Dato' Sri Anwar went to Moscow to meet Mr. Putin.
01:25So I guess this kind of neutrality shown by the chairman of the ASEAN can be adopted at the ASEAN level,
01:37since ASEAN, most of them, its agenda, its direction is brought forward by the chairman itself,
01:48whether what the chairman will do.
01:50So for this, I think, for both neutrality and also centrality for ASEAN, it's not rhetoric.
01:57Malaysia can drive ASEAN towards adopting both of this particular strategy.
02:05Malaysia can drive ASEAN.
02:06Malaysia can drive ASEAN.
02:07Malaysia can drive ASEAN.
02:08Malaysia can drive ASEAN.
02:09Malaysia can drive ASEAN.
02:10Malaysia can drive ASEAN.
02:11Malaysia can drive ASEAN.
02:12Malaysia can drive ASEAN.
02:13Malaysia can drive ASEAN.
02:14Malaysia can drive ASEAN.
02:15Malaysia can drive ASEAN.
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02:17Malaysia can drive ASEAN.
02:18Malaysia can drive ASEAN.
02:19Malaysia can drive ASEAN.
02:20Malaysia can drive ASEAN.
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02:26Malaysia can drive ASEAN.
02:27Malaysia can drive ASEAN.
02:28Malaysia can drive ASEAN.
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