{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1446742,
        "msgid": "a-need-for-change-1447893297",
        "date": "1999-07-24 00:00:00",
        "title": "A need for change",
        "author": null,
        "source": "",
        "tags": null,
        "topic": null,
        "summary": "A need for change After the trials of the past year, foreign ministers locked in a secret conclave for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum have a lot to mull over as they plan the way ahead. But it will take a damascene conversion before conservative members accept the need for change. Yet political upheaval, economic collapse and environmental disasters have seen the message writ large.",
        "content": "<p>A need for change<\/p>\n<p>After the trials of the past year, foreign ministers locked in<br>\na secret conclave for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations<br>\n(ASEAN) Regional Forum have a lot to mull over as they plan the<br>\nway ahead.<\/p>\n<p>But it will take a damascene conversion before conservative<br>\nmembers accept the need for change. Yet political upheaval,<br>\neconomic collapse and environmental disasters have seen the<br>\nmessage writ large.<\/p>\n<p>Asian neighbors can no more stay aloof from each other's<br>\naffairs than they can prevent smoke from distant forest fires<br>\nblanking out their cities.<\/p>\n<p>Non-interference poses more problems than it solves. It showed<br>\nthe 10-nation grouping to be disorganized and ineffective under<br>\nstress. Restoring credibility means acknowledging globalization<br>\nand the influence of information technology.<\/p>\n<p>The Asian values philosophy that worked well over three<br>\ndecades is not tailored to the modern world. It has to be<br>\nreplaced by a more critical approach, because internal problems<br>\nno longer stop at borders, and a larger, more diverse ASEAN faces<br>\nother challenges.<\/p>\n<p>For example, a timely word to Bangkok could have limited the<br>\nfall out from the Thai financial crisis. Closer ties could allow<br>\nstates who weathered the storm to help and support those whose<br>\npopulations have been plunged into poverty.<\/p>\n<p>Agreements on trans-boundary pollution are needed to protect<br>\nhuman health as well as the environment, and Manila's proposal<br>\nfor a Code of Conduct for the South China Seas could prevent<br>\nfurther trouble in that hotly disputed area.<\/p>\n<p>The Taiwan issue, or possible devaluation of the yuan, remain<br>\npotential threats. As a unified force, ASEAN can meet all<br>\nchallenges. Provided it agrees to adopt the \"flexible engagement\"<br>\napproach so vigorously rejected at the last summit, but far more<br>\nnecessary now.<\/p>\n<p>-- The South China Morning Post, Hong Kong<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/a-need-for-change-1447893297",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}