SPORT provides many benefits for the human body. Apart from that, it is also good for mental health because there is physical interaction, for example between sports fans and those involved in their community.
“Regardless of the level of intensity. It is always fun to communicate with those who have a better perspective in defining boundaries in a true sportsmanlike way. So sport can bridge differences,” said a political analyst from Malaysia who is also the General Chair of the Insan Madani mass organization, Aidi Amin in his statement. , Wednesday (16/10).
Interestingly, said Aidi, in early August 1967, five Ministers of Foreign Affairs, namely Adam Malik from Indonesia, Narciso R Ramos from the Philippines, Tun Abdul Razak from Malaysia, S Rajaratnam from Singapore, and Thanat Khoman from Thailand, spent four days at a beach resort. the relatively remote location of Bang Saen, a coastal town located less than a hundred kilometers southeast of Bangkok.
There, they negotiated informally in what they later called tracksuit diplomacy. Each person brings a different historical and political perspective and is dissimilar to one another.
However, with good intentions and good humor, every time they gathered at the negotiating table, they managed to overcome their differences while playing golf and exchanging jokes about each other’s games.
This became a style of deliberation which eventually became a tradition for Asean ministers. Therefore, according to Aidi, as Chair of Asean throughout 2025, Malaysia with the theme of Inclusivity and Sustainability, needs to prepare itself to influence geopolitics and navigate the tests of diplomacy and cohesion.
Furthermore, Aidi also responded to the inauguration of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto which will take place this weekend. It is said, with a population of 275 million people, Indonesia is the largest contributor in terms of gross domestic product with a positive trade balance in Asean.
Fortunately, continued Aidi, the Malaysian PM is known for his liking for Indonesia, which the Indonesian people also respond well to. The Malaysian PM once reminded that the young generation in both countries need to be wise in looking for similarities to avoid differences.
Differences are something that cannot be avoided but can be handled carefully so as not to cause divisions between the people of the two countries. “There must be clarity and maturity because it can bring great benefits to Malaysia and Indonesia,” said Aidi.
Therefore, Aidi believes, the Malaysian people have a responsibility to see the bigger picture and it is important for the Malaysian government to have policies that encourage the spirit of community building in Asean.
From social media users to political leaders, everyone must be responsible when voicing their opinions. Disappointments should be handled in the right way and it is always better to offer peace through exercise rather than unhealthy verbal arguments.
“Let’s bring back the concept of tracksuit diplomacy and look for solutions from the existing details, as Malaysians,” he said. (J-2)
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