Kuala Lumpur, Sept. 19 -- Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said that the close relationship between Malaysia and Vietnam will serve as a catalyst for strengthening the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

In a Facebook post on September 18 following his meeting with Vietnamese National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, PM Anwar noted that the talks reaffirmed both countries' commitment to enhancing cooperation in trade, investment, energy, and the Halal industry.

He stressed that the two sides also agreed on the importance of ties between their legislatures. Malaysia acknowledged Vietnam's role in the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) since 1995, which marked a significant step in regional parliamentary inte...