42nd ASEAN Summit

The encouraging response also underscores the international community’s confidence in ASEAN’s continued efforts to promote peace, stability and sustainable development across the region.

Head of the ASEAN 2025 Main Logistics Secretariat (SILA) Raja Saifful Ridzuwan Raja Kamaruddin said as of Monday, the secretariat has received applications from more than 2,100 media personnel, including journalists, photographers, videographers and technical crews, representing 150 media organisations from over 20 countries.

“We expect the number to increase as ASEAN member states, along with dialogue, sectoral and development partners, request additional media personnel to cover the upcoming summit.

“The total number of media practitioners attending is estimated to exceed 2,000 and could reach nearly 3,000,” he told Bernama.

Raja Saifful said Malaysia’s Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025, anchored in the principles of inclusivity and sustainability, has further drawn global attention and engagement.

“The participation of ASEAN Leaders and Dialogue Partners provides additional opportunities for the media to capture significant developments and outcomes of regional and international relevance,” he said.

As of Monday, a total of 1,386 media applications had been approved, comprising 260 official media, 942 foreign media and more than 200 local media representatives. Meanwhile, over 700 applicants with discrepancies in their submissions are in the process of completing their registration.

Raja Saifful said  Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had earlier stated that the summit is expected to be among the largest in the history of the regional bloc, with substantive issues to be discussed and deliberated during the meetings.

He said the inclusion of Timor-Leste as an ASEAN member state marks another historic milestone for the regional bloc after many years without new membership, and is expected to be one of the main highlights for media coverage.

“Another major attraction would be the presence of high-profile leaders – heads of state and government from dialogue partners and guests of the Chair.

“The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister have mentioned that, given the current geopolitical dynamics, the presence of these high-profile personalities is something that many are looking forward to.

“The media, in particular, will be keen to seek their views on matters related to current global and regional developments,” he said.

When asked about preparations to accommodate the large turnout of media personnel, Raja Saifful said the International Media Centre has been fully set up to cater for the large number of media representatives covering the ASEAN Summit.

He said the centre is equipped with high-speed internet, workstations and live broadcast feeds, supported by a dedicated team to assist with accreditation, logistics and information services throughout the event.

On the movement of media personnel during the summit at KLCC, Raja Saifful said security remains a top priority.

“However, at the same time, the secretariat do not want to restrict media movement or make it difficult for them to carry out their duties,” he said.

He said further discussions will be held with the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) to coordinate media movement and ensure smooth operations throughout the summit.

The 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, to be held from Oct 26 to 28, mark the culmination of Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2025, which carries the theme “Inclusion and Sustainability.”

United States President Donald Trump, Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa are among the world leaders expected to attend the summit.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said a total of 84 outcome documents are expected to be issued at the upcoming summit.

-- BERNAMA