JAKARTA: Malaysia has proposed that 2025 be designated as the ASEAN Year of Skills and aims to launch several initiatives in the labour sector as part of its upcoming ASEAN Chairmanship, according to the ASEAN Secretariat.

The proposal was discussed on Monday (Sept 2) during a meeting between the Ministry of Human Resources secretary-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud and deputy secretary-general of ASEAN for the Socio-Cultural Community, Ekkaphab Phanthavong.

Khairul Dzaimee, leading a high-level delegation that included Nurul Jiana Mohd Jamel, counsellor for labour at the Malaysian Embassy, met with Phanthavong at the ASEAN Secretariat, here.

Laos will officially transfer the ASEAN leadership to Malaysia at the ASEAN Summit, which is scheduled to take place from Oct 8-11, 2024, in Vientiane.

Founded on Aug 8, 1967, ASEAN currently comprises 10 member countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam.

Timor-Leste is still awaiting full membership.