Leaders to put their thinking caps on post-2015 Asean - Munir Majid

Asean member countries should put their thinking caps on the post-2015 Asean to reap a meaningful achievement from the Asean Economic Community (AEC) target.

Asean-Business Advisory Council (Asean-BAC) chairman Tan Sri Dr Mohd Munir Abdul Majid said he would work on non-tariff and other disabling measures that hindered progress towards a meaningful achievement of the AEC targets.

"In essence, we will work, be active, interact and provide input," he said after taking over the Asean-BAC chairmanship from incumbent chairman U Win Aung from Myanmar at a dinner here on Wednesday.

Munir will hold the chairmanship until 2015. The Asean-BAC was established by Asean leaders and governments to facilitate private sector connectivity and gather feedbacks from the public sector.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was present at the handover of the Asean-BAC chairmanship dinner.

Munir said there would be a lot of hard work ahead that required full cooperation from the private sector which would benefit from Asean economic integration.

"In 2015, there will be additional challenges as there will be an announcement that the AEC has been established.

"It is as much the responsibility at the official level as at the private sector level to ensure that the announcement has substance and is credible," he added.