decision and leadership from both asean and the eu. from the proceedings of the conference, it seems to me that there may be a need to develop a more entrenched mechanism to leverage further on our respective core capabilities and which seeks to find simpler, faster and more effective ways that would enhance our joint endeavours. a combination of insights, leadership, technical capacity and adequate preparation needs to be channeled into a general enthusiasm for both our regions to rise to the potential challenges and in the process become greater partners for success. in summary, the future direction of the asean - eu relations will be dependent on several multidimensional facets that would include : the changing strategic landscape amidst globalisation, asean's and the eu's desire to play a greater role in the global economy and international affairs, the eu's ability in managing its enlargement process, and asean's commitment to forge greater regional integration. i am certain that the passage of time and closer analyses of the issues discussed at this conference will yield more lessons that we could take to heart in making progress on expanding asean - eu economic and financial links. it is my hope that in the future we can continue to have such constructive exchanges of views and experiences that will further nourish the broader learning environment. in closing, allow me to thank the speakers for enriching the conference with their presence and their cutting - edge perspectives. i also wish to again thank the european commission for giving bank 1 / 2 negara the opportunity to co - host this conference. to all our participants from abroad, we hope you stay in kuala lumpur has been pleasant, and we wish you a safe journey home. 2 / 2

alone. adequate housing is about access, which can be achieved not only through outright ownership, but also through the ability to rent a decent home at affordable prices. the overriding policy priority should not be ownership at all costs. we need to learn from the global financial crisis on the importance of a sustainable housing market. 2 / 3 bis central bankers'speeches policymakers need to protect the interests of the public and the stability of the economic and financial system. it is also in the interest of the public that they do not buy homes that they cannot afford and fall into financial hardship, which will have detrimental consequences to socioeconomic stability. more broadly, we need to remember that one of the best ways to achieve the affordable homes objective is to promote employment opportunities and income growth for the people. this will strengthen their economic capability and financial position for home ownership. to some extent, we have observed some encouraging trends, including the fact that house prices are now growing more in line with income growth. another important avenue for policymakers is the exchange of information and ideas. through the sharing of experiences, especially with policymakers from other countries, we are able to learn and explore new frontiers. platforms such as this contribute to the rich marketplace of ideas that will spur us to think of innovative policies and effective ways to implement them. tackling the issue of affordable housing requires us to be creative, proactive and holistic in our solutions. this will require collaboration and commitment from all parties involved ; policymakers, the private sector, developers and the public at large. it will not be easy, but it is necessary for us to build a better future not just for our families, but for our future generations. 3 / 3 bis central bankers'speeches