Kuala Lumpur, March 10 -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) must develop a parallel by engaging with major economies beyond the region, particularly Australia, to boost production and domestic consumption, enhancing its economic resilience.

This approach is vital for protecting the region from future shocks, including abrupt policy shifts in key markets like the US and the European Union, Malaysia Global Business Forum (MGBF) founding chairman Nordin Abdullah said in a recent interview granted to the press.

ASEAN must not only survive but thrive amid evolving global crises. Australia, as a fellow middle power, is an ideal partner in this effort, Nordin said.

Nordin also pointed to a worrying decline in Australian forei...