Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today held a crucial pre-council briefing with the Conference of Rulers at Istana Negara, laying out significant national and regional developments as Malaysia prepares to host the 47th ASEAN Summit at the end of this month.
In the closed-door session, Anwar provided detailed updates on several key matters. Among them was the formal invitation extended to former U.S. President Donald Trump to visit Malaysia during the ASEAN Summit. The Prime Minister also outlined Malaysia’s position on Trump’s recently resurfaced Gaza peace proposal—an issue stirring global attention amidst ongoing Middle East tensions.
“It was a standard pre-council meeting, where we covered major current affairs—Trump’s visit, policy updates, and preparations for Budget 2026,” Anwar told the media after inaugurating the ASEAN Conference on Future-Ready Public Service.
In a move that underlines the weight of the discussions at Istana Negara, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul earlier confirmed that Anwar would be absent from the Minister’s Question Time (MQT) session in Parliament, citing his summons to the palace.
The 47th ASEAN Summit, set for October 26–28 in Kuala Lumpur, is anticipated to be the largest and most consequential since ASEAN’s founding in 1976. Leaders from across the region—and now possibly the United States—will gather to address pressing issues, from economic cooperation to regional security.
Simultaneously, Anwar—who also serves as Finance Minister—is scheduled to unveil Budget 2026 this Friday in Parliament, laying the groundwork for Malaysia’s economic trajectory in the years to come.
At the heart of these high-level meetings is a deeper story—one of a nation striving to balance diplomacy, leadership, and economic resilience in a rapidly shifting world. It’s not just about policies or protocols—it’s about the people of Malaysia and the promise of a stronger future.
