STORY: ASEAN chairmanship will boost Malaysia's efforts in promoting regional integration, says minister
SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage
DATELINE: Jan. 17, 2025
LENGTH: 00:01:25
LOCATION: Kuala Lumpur
CATEGORY: POLITICS/ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of ASEAN countries 
2. SOUNDBITE (English): RAFIZI RAMLI, Malaysian Economy Minister

STORYLINE:

Malaysia's chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year will boost the country's efforts toward greater regional integration, facilitating increased economic activity and trade, including tapping into the region's growing consumer base, Malaysian Economy Minister Rafizi Ramli said.
   
SOUNDBITE (English): RAFIZI RAMLI, Malaysian Economy Minister
"Integration and closer cooperation are the natural reactions of ASEAN countries in the face of global development. There is this uniqueness about ASEAN. We may be the very few blocs in the world that prioritize economic growth, prosperity, and trade above everything else.
We respect how each country goes about their business, because of that, ASEAN becomes a region where we trade heavily with the rest of the world, but we also trade heavily internally. These are factors that make ASEAN a potential huge market.
Malaysia intends to drive this message of collaboration and further economic integration among ASEAN as a top agenda.
In order to meet the kind of speed and efficiency of moving goods around the region, ASEAN will eventually converge to make sure that we streamline our customs clearance and processes. Whatever we need to digitize, we have to digitize."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Kuala Lumpur.
(XHTV)