Kuala Lumpur: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. spoke to Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim over the phone on Friday night to discuss the economic and security issues confronting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

According to Philippines News Agency, the phone call was made ahead of Malaysia's hosting of the ASEAN Summit and Related Summits. Malaysia is this year's ASEAN chair, while the Philippines will take over the rotating chairmanship in 2026. Marcos expressed his intention to continue similar discussions with other ASEAN leaders during the upcoming summit in Malaysia this month.

Marcos shared in a Facebook post that he looks forward to continuing these discussions with fellow leaders at the Summit in Kuala Lumpur. The 46th ASEAN Summit is scheduled to be held in Kuala Lumpur on May 26-27.

In a post on X, Anwar Ibrahim mentioned that he had shared several matters and developments related to ASEAN with Marcos, including the Myanmar crisis and other global issues. He highlighted Malaysia's call for extending the ceasefire in Myanmar to ensure the continued delivery of humanitarian aid without discrimination or restrictions.

Myanmar was initially set to host the ASEAN in 2026 but was not allowed to assume the chairmanship due to the domestic issues faced by Napyidaw, which is currently under military junta rule. Anwar also updated Marcos on Malaysia's stance regarding the tariffs recently imposed by the United States, noting the temporary suspension of tariffs for 90 days as an opportunity for further discussions.

Anwar expressed hope for the success of the May 12 midterm elections in the Philippines.