President Ferdinand Marcos greets Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim during a welcome ceremony at Malacañang Palace in Manila on March 1, 2023. Yummie Dingding, PPA Pool/File photo 

MANILA — Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Friday called President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday to extend his well wishes ahead of the Philippines’ 2025 midterm elections and to discuss economic and security issues in the region.

They also tackled the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit that Malaysia will host on May 26 and 27.

"Nagkausap kami ni Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim ng Malaysia tungkol sa mga hamon sa ekonomiya at seguridad na kinakaharap ng ASEAN bilang isang rehiyon," the president said in a Facebook post.

(I spoke with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim about the economic and security challenges that ASEAN is facing as a region.)

In a social media post, Anwar said that he called Marcos Jr. and conveyed “Malaysia's wishes and calls for the ceasefire in Myanmar to be extended to ensure that humanitarian aid can continue to be channeled to the affected population.”

“We also agree that any form of assistance should be channeled without any discrimination or restriction,” he said.

The two Southeast Asian leaders also discussed tariffs that US President Donald Trump announced and has suspended for 90 days.

"Inaasahan kong maipagpatuloy ang mga talakayang ito kasama ang iba pa nating mga kasamang lider sa Summit sa Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, ngayong buwan," Marcos Jr. said.

(I hope to continue these talks with our fellow leaders at the Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia this month.)

“Concluding our conversation, I wish you success in the General Election on May 12, as well as expressing my hope that we will meet at the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur later,” Anwar told Marcos Jr.

The Philippines is set to hold its 2025 midterm elections on May 12, a poll that is widely seen as a referendum on Marcos Jr.’s performance in the first half of his term as president.

ASEAN chief urges 'boldly' integrating region's economies amid US tariff worries

In the past, Marcos Jr. had called Anwar his "good friend". The latter has also visited the Philippines to discuss regional and international issues "of mutual interest" to the two countries.

Anwar was among the first country leaders who visited Manila early in the Marcos Jr. administration.