TIMOR-LESTE’S AMM PARTICIPATION MARKS KEY STEP TOWARD ASEAN MEMBERSHIP
By Nurunnasihah Ahmad Rashid and Zufazlin Baharuddin
KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 (Bernama) -- Timor-Leste’s participation as an observer at the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and related meetings in Kuala Lumpur starting Tuesday marks a significant step towards its full integration into the regional bloc, with membership expected to be formalised at the ASEAN Summit in October.
Security and political analyst from the Centre for Media and Information Warfare Studies at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam, Selangor Dr Noor Nirwandy Mat Noordin, Timor-Leste’s active engagement as an observer has laid a strong foundation for its eventual accession as a full ASEAN member.
“The relationship with ASEAN leaders and Timor-Leste is a very progressive transition. All the countries in ASEAN have basically agreed to the adoption of the accession of Timor-Leste since the beginning of the development of observer status in 2022,” he told Bernama.
In May, ASEAN leaders have agreed to accept Timor-Leste as the 11th member of the regional bloc at the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October, subject to the fulfilment of several remaining requirements for full membership.
This underscores the bloc’s unified political will to welcome the country as its 11th member and support its institutional readiness.
Timor-Leste, which gained independence in 2002, was granted observer status in ASEAN in 2022 and has since been working towards full membership based on a structured Roadmap endorsed by the regional bloc.
At the ASEAN summit in May, ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Kao Kim Hourn highlighted Timor-Leste’s growing engagement noting that the country attended about 90 per cent of ASEAN meetings in the first quarter 2025 compared to 83 per cent last year.
Noor Nirwandy pointed out that ASEAN members need to continue focusing on providing technical and institutional support to ensure a smooth transition to full membership for the country.
“There are some elements of technicality involved, particularly the technical and political hurdles as well as some legal instrument requirements that Timor-Leste has to comply with, in accordance with the free trade services frameworks and other required legal measures.
“The technicality of this needs to be looked into with some proactive and positive elements to help Timor-Leste be granted representation as the 11th full member of ASEAN,” he said.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan who chaired the AMM, held on the sidelines of the 46th ASEAN Summit in May, said the country has made significant progress in implementing the ASEAN Roadmap. He reiterated that Timor-Leste must intensify efforts to meet all legal requirements most of which fall under the ASEAN Economic Community.
Mohamad said Timor-Leste must work diligently to fulfil all requirements and ensure compliance with ASEAN’s legal instruments, expressing hope that its full membership could be formalised during the ASEAN Summit with Dialogue Partners at the end of October this year.
Meanwhile, Malaysian geo-strategist Prof Dr Azmi Hassan underscored the strategic importance of Timor-Leste’s accession amid growing geopolitical competition.
He noted that superpowers such as China and the United States (US) are showing heightened interest in the small nation, with China in particular using economic influence to extend its sway over Timor-Leste.
“To avoid superpowers… somehow or rather controlling Timor-Leste as an independent nation without an organisation, it is best for ASEAN to pull Timor-Leste to be part of ASEAN,” he told Bernama.
Azmi also noted that Indonesia, which has supported Timor-Leste’s application from the beginning alongside Malaysia, fully backs its membership and stands to benefit from it.
Meanwhile Secretary-General of the Foreign Ministry, Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin said Timor-Leste’s full membership is officially scheduled to take place during the 47th ASEAN Summit in October.
"The main focus at the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) is to ensure the implementation of all decisions agreed upon at the 46th Summit is completed before October."
"The first day of the 47th ASEAN Summit will mark the official effective date of Timor-Leste's membership as an ASEAN member state," he said at a press conference held in conjunction with the meeting at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) on Sunday.
The 58th AMM slated to take place from July 8 to 11 is expected to gather approximately 1,500 delegates including foreign ministers from ASEAN member states, Timor-Leste, ASEAN Dialogue Partners, ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) participating countries, Sectoral Dialogue Partners and senior officials from the ASEAN Secretariat.
Malaysia is hosting the AMM as part of its fifth ASEAN Chairmanship, having previously held the role in 1977, 1997, 2005 and 2015.
-- BERNAMA
