Marcos discusses regional economy, security with Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Friday said he talked with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim about regional economy and security and the coming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.

"Nagkausap kami ni Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim ng Malaysia tungkol sa mga hamon sa ekonomiya at seguridad na kinakaharap ng ASEAN bilang isang rehiyon," Marcos said in a post on Facebook.

(Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia and I got to talk about the challenges to the economy and security being faced by ASEAN as a region.)

"Inaasahan kong maipagpatuloy ang mga talakayang ito kasama ang iba pa nating mga kasamang lider sa Summit sa Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, ngayong buwan," he added.

(I expect that this discussion will continue together with our fellow leaders at the Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this month.)

Meanwhile, in a Facebook post on Friday, Anwar also shared more details about their phone call.

"Earlier this evening, I called my good friend, Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Romualdez Marcos Jr., who is also the President of the Republic of the Philippines, to discuss several matters and developments related to ASEAN and global issues," he wrote.

Anwar said he informed Marcos of "Malaysia’s desire and call for the ceasefire in Myanmar to be extended, to ensure that humanitarian aid can continue to reach the affected population."

"We were also in agreement that any form of assistance must be delivered without discrimination or restrictions," he wrote.

The two leaders also talked about tariffs.

"On the issue of tariffs, as the ASEAN Chair, I conveyed that Malaysia can leverage its position to demonstrate its significance to the United States in global tariff negotiations," Anwar said.

"The U.S. decision to delay the implementation of tariffs for 90 days has provided some relief, allowing for further discussions on related matters, particularly because of Malaysia’s strengths in certain types of products," he added.

Anwar said he ended the call with a wish for a successful election this month.

"After our conversation, I wished him success in the General Election on May 12 and expressed hope that we will meet at the upcoming ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur," he said.

The ASEAN Summit will be held on May 26 to 27 in Malaysia. —KG, GMA Integrated News