ACSS15
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ASEAN-Malaysia Stats Week 2025
15TH SESSION OF THE ASEAN COMMUNITY STATISTICAL SYSTEM (ACSS15) COMMITTEE
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ASEAN-MALAYSIA STATISTICAL FORUM 2025
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The ASEAN Community Statistical System (ACSS) is the highest statistical body within ASEAN, officially established in 2011 to replace the ASEAN Heads of Statistical Offices Meeting (AHSOM), which had been convened since 1997. As the principal entity within the ASEAN statistical ecosystem, the ACSS plays a vital role in strengthening technical and professional cooperation among ASEAN Member States (AMS) in support of the ASEAN Community agenda, particularly in the areas of statistical compilation, dissemination, and communication based on international standards. The members of the ACSS comprise the Chief Statisticians/ Heads of Departments from the National Statistical Offices (NSOs) of AMS. Specifically, the ACSS operates under the oversight of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and reports to the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) through the Senior Economic Officials Meeting (SEOM). The Session was chaired by YBhg. Dato Sri Dr. Mohd Uzir Mahidin, Chief Statistician of Department of Statistics Malaysia, with Ms. Minerva Eloisa P. Esquivias, Deputy National Statistician of Philippine Statistics Authority as the Co-chairperson. ASEAN–Malaysia Stats Week 2025 is a five-day programme on official statistics bringing together officials from ASEAN national statistical offices, the ASEAN Secretariat, and participants from partners, academia, industry players, and students in Melaka from 3 to 7 November 2025. Organised under the theme “Advancing ASEAN Through Inclusive Data and Innovation,” it reflects ASEAN’s commitment to inclusive, innovation-driven regional development powered by high-quality data and strategic collaboration. ACSS15 anchors the week with formal proceedings from 3 to 5 November 2025. The Committee meets to deliberate governance, action plans, monitoring arrangements, and technical standards that ensure coherent regional statistics. A historic highlight is the participation of Timor-Leste as the eleventh ASEAN member in regional statistical cooperation, with collective support pledged to help integrate its national statistical system. |
CLOSED SESSION: 15TH SESSION OF THE ASEAN COMMUNITY STATISTICAL SYSTEM (ACSS15) COMMITTEE , 3 NOVEMBER 2025
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| Within ACSS15, the Closed Session on 3 November 2025 is the formal, invitation-only meeting of the Committee where heads of national statistical offices and accredited delegates deliberate core governance, standards and monitoring. The agenda covers the ACSS Action Plan 2026–2030 and working-group plans, a concept note on an ASEAN Data Governance Framework, policies and guidelines on data sharing and confidentiality, API utilisation for data submission, monitoring of the annual work plan and key indicators, consolidated ASEAN Statistical Indicators submissions, a focus group on big data and the draft Joint Media Statement, leading to wrap-up at the end of the closed agenda. | |
OPEN SESSION: 15TH SESSION OF THE ASEAN COMMUNITY STATISTICAL SYSTEM (ACSS15) COMMITTEE, 4 - 5 NOVEMBER 2025
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The Open Session on 4 - 5 November 2025 extends ACSS15 to a wider community through a programme that includes the national anthem and the ASEAN Way, an opening video, remarks by the ASEAN Secretariat, the ACSS Chair and a keynote by the Deputy Minister of Economy, followed by media engagement. The agenda highlights the ACSS15 theme and key deliverables, updates from ASEAN summits and ministerial meetings, a briefing on the adoption of the ACSS Action Plan 2026 - 2030 and related work plans, findings from the ASEAN SDG Indicators Progress Report 2025, awareness initiatives, presentations by international organisations, and country presentations on public engagement, statistical literacy, and open data. Proceedings conclude with the adoption of the ACSS15 Joint Media Statement, and Malaysia hands over the ACSS Chairmanship to the Philippines for the sixteenth session in 2026. The close collaboration between the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), the Ministry of Economy, the Government of the State of Melaka and ASEANstats has been central to the success of organising ASEAN–Malaysia Stats Week 2025 in Melaka, bringing together all National Statistics Offices of ASEAN Member States, the Chairs of ACSS Working Groups, the ASEAN Secretariat, a wide range of development partners and international organisations, as well as representatives from key Malaysian ministries and agencies in a cohesive and impactful regional gathering. |
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| Beyond the formal agenda, ACSS15 features a networking dinner along with social, recreational, and community-oriented activities that foster closer ties among delegates and celebrate local heritage. | |
| The Networking Dinner, a side event of ASEAN–Malaysia Stats Week 2025, was held on Tuesday, 4 November 2025 at the Bunga Raya Grand Ballroom, Level 7, Dusit Princess Hotel Melaka. Officiated by The Right Honourable Datuk Seri Utama Ab Rauf bin Yusoh, Chief Minister of Melaka, and graced by YB Dato’ Hajjah Hanifah Hajar Taib, Deputy Minister of Economy, it brought together delegates from ASEAN Member States, Timor-Leste, ASEANstats, development partners, and Malaysian agencies for high-level networking and cultural exchange, underscoring Melaka’s role as host state and its partnership with DOSM. |
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| The ASEAN–Malaysia Statistical Forum (AMSF) 2025 was held on 5–6 November 2025 in Melaka as a was one of the key deliverables under the ACSS Annual Priorities 2025 through the Awareness Initiative on the Importance of Statistics. The short course on 5 November equipped participants with practical skills to unify data using generative AI tools, while the main forum on 6 November brought together more than 500 delegates from ASEAN statistical organisations, government, academia, industry and youth to exchange best practices, strengthen data integration and advance innovation. The programme featured strategic forums, expert presentations, a scientific e-poster competition, a public speaking programme and an exhibition on statistical innovation, alongside plenaries and panels on inclusive data and innovation, technology for sustainable development, measuring progress beyond GDP with the forthcoming System of National Accounts 2025, digitalisation for ASEAN connectivity and the responsible adoption of AI and big data analytics. | |
To extend the reach of ACSS15 and the ASEAN–Malaysia Statistical Forum 2025 beyond the meeting rooms in Melaka, DOSM produced a special DOSM WebTV: ACSS15 & AMSF 2025 series. Across a sequence of short videos released from 13 to 24 November 2025, Heads and senior officials of ASEAN National Statistical Offices, ASEANstats, Timor-Leste and key partners shared their reflections on ACSS15, the ASEAN–Malaysia 2025 theme of Inclusivity and Sustainability, and the future of data, innovation and cooperation in the region. Featuring voices from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam, Timor-Leste, ASEANstats and Malaysian thought leaders, the series provided an accessible way for the public to hear directly from decision-makers about why statistics matter for ASEAN’s shared future. Watch the full series on the StatsMalaysia YouTube channel by searching for “DOSM WebTV: ACSS15 & AMSF 2025”. |
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