Clock is ticking on common Asean time zone

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Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said a common time zone would show ASEAN solidarity, as well as facilitate trade and integration among member countries.

Before too long we may not have to adjust our watches when we travel from Kuala Lumpur to Jakarta or Hanoi. This is because Malaysia and Indonesia have agreed to give the ASEAN common time zone initiative “appropriate consideration”.

President Joko Widodo of Indonesia, on his recent three-day visit to Malaysia (5-7 February), said he would hold discussion on the common time at the regional organisation level as soon as possible.

He added that the ASEAN time zone agreement should be expedited as it is symbolic of the regional body’s member countries, and thus should be considered as soon as possible.

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said a common time zone would show ASEAN solidarity, as well as facilitate trade and integration among member countries.

Other sectors that will benefit from a regional common time will include aviation in terms of flight operations, banking, and business networking 

The ASEAN common time zone was also discussed at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat held in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, in January.

The 10 member countries of ASEAN are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.