AIPA 46 is a legislative springboard, highlighting the central role of parliaments for ASEAN’s long-term goals: Malaysian Ambassador
On the occasion of National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man’s participation in the 46th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA 46) and his official visit to Malaysia from 16 to 20 September, Malaysian Ambassador to Việt Nam Dato’ Tan Yang Thai emphasized to The World & Vietnam Report the significances of AIPA 46 and expressed his expectations for Vietnam’s contributions.
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| National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man and his spouse will attend AIPA 46 and pay an official visit to Malaysia. |
What are your comments on the meanings and focuses of the 46th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in relation to ASEAN’s new development goals?
The 46th AIPA General Assembly, to be held from 16-22 September 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, is a pivotal moment in ASEAN’s trajectory, aligning parliamentary engagement with the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
As both ASEAN Chair and AIPA President in 2025, Malaysia has anchored its leadership in the themes of inclusivity and sustainability, underscoring a commitment to ensuring “no one is left behind” in the region’s development journey.
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| Malaysian Ambassador to Vietnam Dato' Tan Yang Thai. (Photo: Quang Hoa) |
The Assembly’s theme,"Parliament at the Forefront for Inclusive Growth and Sustainable ASEAN", emphasizes that parliaments must transition from advisory bodies to active legislative leaders responsible for oversight, accountability, and translating regional aspirations into tangible laws and policies.
The 46th AIPA will highlight the central role of parliaments in advancing inclusive and sustainable development, positioning them as key drivers of ASEAN’s long-term goals. It also seeks to promote peer learning among member countries by sharing best legislative practices and effective oversight mechanisms.
At the same time, the Assembly aims to strengthen parliamentary capacity to respond proactively to emerging challenges and opportunities in the pursuit of inclusive growth. In doing so, it encourages closer collaboration with civil society, the private sector, and academia to ensure that the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 is advanced through broad-based participation.
Ultimately, the Assembly is tasked with formulating concrete policy and legislative recommendations that will help build a more equitable, resilient, and forward-looking ASEAN.
In essence, the 46th AIPA is not just a diplomatic calendar event; it’s a legislative springboard, signalling parliament-led stewardship of ASEAN’s long-term, people-centred development.
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| Malaysia hosted consultative meeting of Young Parliamentarians of AIPA on May 6. |
Could you share your expectations for Vietnam’s participation in the 46th AIPA?
Vietnam’s longstanding engagement in AIPA, marked by its early membership and robust contributions to regional parliamentary cooperation, remains invaluable. In the context of Malaysia’s 2025 chairmanship and AIPA presidency, Vietnam is well-positioned to amplify its leadership across key thematic domains.
Operating within AIPA’s structured framework—including General Assembly sessions and sectoral mechanisms like the Young Parliamentarians of AIPA (YPA), Women Parliamentarians (WAIPA), Caucus, and AIPACODD—Vietnam’s delegation can make meaningful contributions across multiple platforms.
Within the framework of AIPACODD and other AIPA mechanisms, Vietnam’s delegation can make meaningful contributions across multiple platforms. Malaysia anticipates that Vietnam will bring forward valuable insights on inclusive growth, the digital economy, sustainable development, and youth engagement.
At the same time, Vietnam is well placed to share lessons from its ongoing domestic reforms that promote equitable growth and environmental resilience. Equally important, Vietnam’s participation is expected to generate recommendations aligned with AIPA’s objectives, particularly in advancing legislative frameworks and oversight mechanisms that strengthen inclusivity and sustainability across the region.
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| The “AIPA Roadshow in Viet Nam” held this past August, contributed to raising youth awareness of ASEAN and AIPA. |
Concerning Vietnam-Malaysia relations, how significant is this visit for bilateral ties, and what are your expectations regarding parliamentary cooperation between the two nations?
The forthcoming parliamentary visit during the 46th AIPA is a significant milestone for Malaysia-Vietnam relations, especially under the umbrella of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2024). The theme, placing parliaments at the forefront of inclusive growth and sustainable development, resonates deeply with both nations’ shared priorities.
AIPA’s institutional design, which allows for up to fifteen-member delegations per parliament and includes inter-parliamentary dialogues under WAIPA, YPA, Caucus, and other frameworks, opens up diverse avenues for bilateral collaboration.
Malaysia hopes that this visit will expand parliamentary exchanges through joint committee participation, staff-level cooperation, and shared capacity-building initiatives. It is also expected to deepen alignment between the two national legislatures on policies that promote equitable and sustainable development, while encouraging collaboration through parliamentary caucuses to address regional concerns such as climate resilience, human trafficking, and sustainable investment.
At the same time, the visit provides an opportunity to reinforce the role of parliaments in ensuring transparency and accountability in policy execution, thereby strengthening democratic legitimacy. Through this engagement, both Malaysia and Vietnam can elevate their bilateral legislative cooperation and contribute decisively to ASEAN’s vision of inclusive prosperity and regional sustainability.
Thank you the Ambassador!
