A regional golden jubilee
CONGRATULATIONS Asean! Yesterday, Asean celebrated its 50th anniversary. It is an amazing feat that Asean has been able to maintain its international presence for five decades, while also uniting the region.
Asean is regarded as the world’s second most successful regional grouping after the European Union, although many of its citizens tend to belittle its progress. For many, Asean is just a toothless body with little impact on their lives. For this reason, Asean strives to make itself much more relevant through becoming an “Asean Community” in almost all spheres of life.
However, Asean is often perceived by the global media as a weak organisation, or worse, a puppet of much stronger powers. It has faced conflicts among members, and has even confronted the danger of extinction.
Its two basic principles – consensus and noninterference – are undoubtedly its fundamental sources of weakness, but also its strengths. Critics insist Asean could be much more progressive if members took more democratic procedures in making decisions. Often a decision or policy could not be made or implemented just because one member raised an objection.
As the foreign ministers of the 10-member grouping commemorate Asean’s 50th anniversary in Manila, they must have the courage and determination to progress much further.
When foreign ministers of the five founding members – Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand – signed the Bangkok Declaration on August 8, 1967, one of the most crucial reasons for them to unite was to block the sweeping power of communism in Southeast Asia.
Today, apart from becoming the engine of multilateral economic cooperation with the outside world, Asean has become a key factor behind the stability in this territory.
Yet Asean must find ways to move forward. For too long members have been bogged down by differences in getting China to agree on a code of conduct in the South China Sea, given their economic interests in the northern neighbour. Without a clear code of conduct, Indonesia’s fishermen, for instance, are still unable to operate without fear in waters bordering China’s claim of its vast “nine-dash line”. Even agreeing to a “framework” for the code on Sunday is hailed as a major achievement.
Asean should end rigid consensus and noninterference practices. In selected issues, voting should be allowed.
Indonesia, as the largest member both in economic size and population, should take a leading role in determining Asean’s new direction, given its status as first among equals.
Furthermore, members should contribute to Asean in accordance with their economic weight, and not pay equal contributions as they currently practice.