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ASEAN should rethink consensus rule – Thai FM

Today 08:12Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow urged ASEAN to re-evaluate its consensus rule and strengthen its institutions to effectively counter intensifying strategic competition among major global powers.
He outlined three guiding principles for the bloc: regionalism, emphasizing interconnected national and regional interests; resilience, advocating for a review of the decision-making process to prevent delays; and relevance, pushing ASEAN to set its own agenda and build stronger ties with middle powers.
Sihasak proposed concrete reforms, including adapting the non-interference principle, strengthening the ASEAN Secretariat, and implementing a 'troika' system of past, present, and future chairs to ensure policy continuity.
The Minister underscored the urgency of addressing critical regional challenges such as energy supply disruptions, climate change, and online scam networks, calling for immediate joint action to enhance ASEAN's strategic autonomy.

Today 07:55Key points summarised by AI

Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin faces mounting pressure to resign after King Al-Sultan Abdullah rejected his request to declare a state of emergency.
Muhyiddin's emergency bid, ostensibly to combat rising COVID-19 cases and economic impact, was widely criticized as a tactic to suspend parliament and avoid a test of his razor-thin majority.
The King's refusal significantly erodes Muhyiddin's grip on power, prompting immediate calls for his resignation from both opposition leaders and members of his own ruling coalition.