ASEAN integration plans going ahead

Malaysia Sun
Tuesday 2nd March, 2010

The head of ASEAN, Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan has thrown off concerns about ASEAN integration by saying the bloc is making steady progress for a single regional economic market by 2015.

Speaking at a press conference in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur, he said the members of ASEAN were discussing how to coordinate their profiles so as to enter the world stage as a bloc.

He said all obstacles had been resolved and the member states have accepted the deadline of 2015.

Surin's comment came after Malaysia voiced concern that only four of the 11 priority integration sectors had been achieved; among them automotive, textile, air travel and tourism sectors.

Malaysia's Trade Minister Mustapa Mohamed said more work would need to be done in the other sectors with the private sector taking the lead.

The 10-nation ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.