“UNUSUAL” MOVE AIMED AT BREAKTHROUGHS?
Although it is common for ASEAN to nominate prominent people or high-level process forces to focus on particular issues, there is no such thing as an ASEAN chair “in new memory” as of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute’s ASEAN Studies Centre.  ,
” In that sense, it is quite uncommon for an ASEAN region seat to appoint its own unofficial team”, she said.
” Perhaps PM Anwar feels that he would gain from those whose ministerial roles have worked with ASEAN to advise and assist in the formulation of issues related for Malaysia’s chairmanship,” he said.
Bilahari Kausikan, original permanent secretary at Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told CNA it is unclear what relevance Anwar’s shift could have on ASEAN.
No one really knows because this is unprecedented and it’s not entirely clear why Malaysia made the decision to do it, but it’s expert in nature and gives suggestions to the seat rather than the entire ASEAN, he said.
Even if the seat accepts the group’s advice, ASEAN’s consensus-based nature means no part condition needs to be bound by it, he added.
The retired minister says Anwar’s walk is “more theatrical than anything else.”
Anwar has a track record of cues that he does not always follow through with. So rather than surmise, I suggest we all simply wait and see what happens if something happens at all”, he added.
Anwar’s decision has previously drawn some criticism in Malaysia, with a member of the opposition Parti Islam Se-Malaysia questioning his choice of Thaksin, who was found guilty of fraud and abuse of power in Thailand, and whether it was done for the Indonesian president’s own gain.
Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan leapt to Anwar’s army, noting that Thaksin, as someone who is accepted by the United States, near to China and important in Thailand, may develop greater cooperation between ASEAN and world rights.
The Myanmar problems and conflicts in the South China Sea, where some ASEAN members have overlapping states with China, are “big problems” that the local bloc lacks capacity to address, according to Joshua Kurlantzick, a senior colleague for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations think tank in the United States.
” I think Anwar is trying to get around some of the government and typical ASEAN work and make advances with the colloquial party,” he said.
” I believe his goal is to create more power and create more ASEAN discussion, but I’m not sure if that will happen.” No matter what Anwar does, the South China Sea and Myanmar are essentially insoluble problems.