President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. arrived in Kuala Lumpur at 2:50 pm on Saturday, October 25. He was welcomed by Dato’ Sri Azalina binti Othman Said, minister in the Prime Minister’s Department for Law and Institutional Reform; Datuk Rozainor bin Ramli, chief government ceremonial officer; and Dato Yubazlan Yusof, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ chief of protocol.

Philippine Ambassador to Kuala Lumpir Maria Angela Ponce, Vice Consul Kirstof Gail Ocampo, and defense attaché Colonel Michael Lugtu also welcomed the President and the First Lady.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Saturday, October 25, said he would travel to Malaysia for the signing of an expanded ceasefire agreement with Cambodia.

Anutin told reporters he would be in Kuala Lumpur to sign the deal on Sunday, October 26, and would return to Thailand afterwards due to the death of the kingdom’s Queen Mother Sirikit. He also said he would not attend next week’s APEC Summit.

Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro attended the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, October 25.

Photos by Chalinee Thirasupa/Reuters

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also touched on the flood control corruption scandal in his departure statement on Saturday, October 25.

He said he has ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways “to bring down the cost of materials by as much as 50%, which will result in savings in the capital outlay spending of at least P30 billion to P45 billion. This is money that we can use for services such as health, education, and food.”

The President added that the Bureau of Internal Revenue “will recalibrate its priorities and ensure that all those found complicit in the irregularities surrounding flood control projects are held fully accountable under the law.”

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and other Philippine government officials are flying to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Saturday morning, October 25. First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos is also with the President.

Screenshots from RTVM

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. highlighted key challenges confronting Southeast Asia in his departure statement at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City on Saturday, October 25.

“At this summit, I will join fellow ASEAN leaders in reaffirming our commitment to ASEAN centrality as we navigate pressing regional and global challenges, including developments in the South China Sea, situation in Myanmar, threats to regional peace and maritime security, as well as the far-reaching impacts of climate change, economic volatility, and transnational crime,” Marcos said.

“I will continue to champion our advocacies in promoting an open, inclusive, and rules-based international order, and for the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law.”

The bloc of Southeast Asian nations will host world leaders at a summit this weekend that will run alongside pivotal trade talks between the United States and China and serve as the first stop for US President Donald Trump’s swing through Asia.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will press for trade multilateralism and deeper ties with new partners, while managing the fallout from Trump’s global tariff offensive at its annual meeting in Malaysia’s capital.

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