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Enjoy your Stay Here!! Music: The ASEAN Song

Introduction

ASEAN consist of l0 out of 11 countries in Southeast Asia. It is interesting how ASEAN can make an impact to countries in Southeast Asia. In this paper, I aim to discuss about its relevance towards Southeast Asia. Starting with a brief overview of its history, I move on to look at how ASEAN benefited Southeast Asia. I emphasize on three major aspects that I feel are most important. They are the economical, ecological and international security in Southeast Asia.

History

The awakening of ASEAN

ASEAN was officially established by five core countries on 8^th Aug 1967[1]. The Foreign Ministers of the five respective countries were known as the “Founding Fathers of ASEAN”. They are Adam Malik of Indonesia, Narciso R. Ramos of the Philippines, Tun Abdul Razak of Malaysia, S. Rajaratnam of Singapore and Thanat Khoman of Thailand. The signing of the papers took place in the main hall of the Department of Foreign Affairs building in Bangkok, Thailand.

Reasons for the formation of ASEAN

The objective of this integration was to promote peace and stability in the region[2]. ASEAN acts as a centralized body to make important decisions and maintain control of the region. At that time, Southeast Asia was still rather undeveloped and unstructured. Many of the countries were dwelled by internal conflicts and war. Territorial disputes and racial tensions between neighboring countries were inevitable. ASEAN’s early aims were to promote social growth, enhance cultural development and accelerate economic expansion in Southeast Asia.

Another motivating factor for the formation of ASEAN was to contain the spread of communism. At that period of time, China was under the rule of Chairman Mao[3] and he had openly adopted a policy to export revolutions to Southeast Asia. He also supported a number of local insurgency movements led by the communist parties in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. The formation of ASEAN brings many benefits to Southeast Asia

Objective of ASEAN

The key objective of ASEAN was to enhance cooperation in the economic, social, cultural, technical, educational level in Southeast Asia. ASEAN promoted regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law and adhering to the principles of the United Nations Charter. It stipulated that the association would be open to every country in Southeast Asia subscribing to its aims, principles and purposes for participation. ASEAN represented "the collective will of the nations of Southeast Asia to bind themselves together in friendship and cooperation and, through joint efforts and sacrifices, secure for their people and for posterity the blessings of peace, freedom and prosperity."

History (timeline)[4]

Although every country in Southeast Asia was invited to join ASEAN, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam declined. In 1984, Brunei joined ASEAN as its sixth member, followed by Vietnam in 1995, and both Myanmar and Laos in 1997. Cambodia was not admitted until 1999 because of unresolved internal political issues.

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Economic aspect of Southeast Asia

ASEAN acting as a unified body

As Southeast Asia’s economy depended mainly on investors out of this region, ASEAN was a platform for a more efficient and integrated market. The different economies in Southeast Asia are well incorporated with each another.  Over the years, countries in Southeast Asia have suffered in times of crisis but through these bad times, stronger bonds were forged between countries. During the financial collapse of the Thai baht in 1997, the economies of the countries in Southeast Asia were badly affected. This goes to show that the different countries in the Southeast Asia are economically dependent.

ASEAN Free Trade Area

ASEAN has deepened and accelerated the formation of the AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade Area)[1]. The signing of agreement was held in Singapore on 28^th January 1992. Leaders of ASEAN countries agreed to open their manufacturing sectors for investments from within the region. This would significantly advance the integration of the different economies in Southeast Asia. With this new agreement, the cost of production materials is lowered and hence more foreign investors would be attracted to come into the Southeast Asia Region.

Ha Noi Plan of Action

The region’s economic troubles serve as a motivation for ASEAN to work together in order to deal with financial and economical weaknesses.  In the Ha Noi Plan of Action[2], procedures have been set to equip industries with their needs to commence on vast improvements in the region, taking it to the competitive and fast-globalizing world. In view of the economic perspective in Southeast Asia, the process of ASEAN economic integration and cooperation has a recognizable momentum that nobody can destroy unless we give up on ourselves.

 

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Terrorism in Southeast Asia

ASEAN’s interests in addressing terrorism

Terrorism has always been omnipresent, but it was only until the late 1980s where it gathered momentum. ASEAN recognizes that terrorism is a major threat to the region [1]. It has unsettled regional peace, stability and economic development throughout Southeast Asia. ASEAN and its member countries have been addressing the issue of terrorism at the national, bilateral and multilateral level over the years.  ASEAN adopted the 2001 ASEAN Declaration on Joint Action to Counter Terrorism[2]. The ASEAN Convention on Counter Terrorism was drafted during the 12^th ASEAN summit held in Cebu, Philippines[3]. Throughout the years, we can observe that ASEAN is truly focused on the issue of fighting terrorism in Southeast Asia.

September 11^th incident

The highly devastating and organized terrorist attack on the United States World Trade Centre on September 11 2001 proved that the threat if terrorism is real and greater than ever. It was perhaps then that the world and indeed, Southeast Asia, took more notice to this escalating security issue. After the attack, the United States declared Southeast Asia to be a “second front’ in its global campaign against Islamic terrorism. At this juncture, it is important to note the word ‘Islamic terrorism’, for the implications it carries toward Southeast Asia is enormous.  It would have been rather impossible for any one single country to fight this battle alone. ASEAN has done well in its collective battles and with its concrete plans for the future.

 

 

 

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Conclusion

Whatever its shortcomings, ASEAN provides a framework for countries of Southeast Asia to speedily discuss matters of common concern. Its well-established associate mechanisms like the dialogue partnerships, enable ASEAN countries, when necessary, to deal collectively with some strength with major outside powers instead of having to deal with them individually from a much weaker position. Without ASEAN, Southeast Asia could once again be the Balkans of Asia.

Foreign Minister of Thailand, Thanat Khoman, stressed that the goal of ASEAN, then, “is to create, not to destroy”. In this paper, we have discussed on how ASEAN have benefited Southeast Asia throughout the years. Therefore I do agree with Foreign Minister Thanat and that ASEAN is a combined of effort organisation by countries in Southeast Asia created for a better future in Southeast Asia.

Ecological condition in Southeast Asia

ASEAN’s Vision

Nations and regions all over the world face environmental problems, and Southeast Asia is no exception. Environmental issues include deforestation, pollution and outbreaks of contagious virus. The ASEAN Vision 2020 calls for “a clean and green ASEAN with fully established mechanisms for sustainable development to ensure the protection of the region’s environment, the sustainability of its natural resources and the high quality of life of its peoples”.[1]

Haze In Southeast Asia

The haze came about in 1997, as a result of massive land and forest fires in Indonesia[2]. Although the burning occurred in Indonesia, the haze itself was not confined to its national boundaries. The enormous and debilitating smoke haze hung over the Southeast Asian region over a period of time, drifting as far as an area between Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

The haze problem worsened as Indonesia was slow to react. ASEAN was then called in to deal with the problem. This was a challenging test of ASEAN’s operational capability and the willingness of the ASEAN states to co-operate, considering the fact that each country was already burdened with their economical problems as the financial crisis had just hit the region. A committee consisting of the ASEAN Ministers of Environment was immediately set up. They endorsed the Regional Haze Action Plan which is a plan to tackle the haze problem in Southeast Asia. Under this plan, all ASEAN countries would work together to deal with this common problem. Its main purpose was to prevent and monitor the continual seasonal forest fires. Information on fire fighting technology, national policies and human health impacts were disseminated among the ASEAN states. ASEAN has shown great interest and contributed towards eliminating the haze.

SARS

ASEAN’s responses to the threat posed by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) have been proven to be useful[3]. Health Ministers from different ASEAN countries together with China, Japan and South Korea met in Kuala Lumpur on 26^th April and a Special ASEAN Leaders Meeting was also held on 29^th April to address the SARS problem. Different preventive measures were agreed upon. Such an implementation was important because SARS is a contagious virus and if one country were to be unwilling to help contain this virus or tries to contain the virus herself, it would be detrimental to the entire Southeast Asia region.

China attempted to contain the virus themselves when it first hit them[4]. As a result of China’s posture of denial for the critical first few months after the outbreak, the virus was not contained and spread to neighboring countries. If China had raised the alarm about the outbreak soon after it first occurred, other countries in the region would have been better prepared to cope with the disease. The impact of the virus could have been minimized and there would possibly be fewer deaths. But nevertheless, the SARS virus in Southeast Asia was finally contained with the help of ASEAN.

 

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