ASEAN VOICES ON ASEAN IDENTITY<\/p>\n
\"The ASEAN integration is too slow. Look at what the European
\ncountries have done though the region includes nations of
\ndifferent development levels. Meanwhile, although ASEAN has
\nembraced all the countries in this region, its 10 members are
\nbasically separated countries. I, myself, a Vietnamese, know very
\nlittle about ASEAN countries like Philippines and Brunei.\" --
\nNguyen Thi Gam Huong, 23, a program administrator of Operation
\nSmile Organisation, Vietnam.<\/p>\n
\"ASEAN countries need to develop more political, economic and
\nsocial linkages to promote ASEAN integrity. The poll suggests
\nmobility among ASEAN people is still low. To promote greater
\nmobility among ASEAN people, ASEAN government could relax
\nimmigration procedures. I am not saying this should be
\nimplemented immediately but Europeans travel within the European
\nUnion without passport.\" -- Prof Jayum Javan, Universiti Putra
\nMalaysia political science lecturer, Malaysia.<\/p>\n
\"The ASEAN identity is still in the formal level and not yet
\nembedded in the society. It is only for diplomats and decision
\nmakers and we still need more people-to-people contact. The
\nproblem is, are ASEAN country members willing to place their
\nnational interests under the regional interest. We know that
\nmonetary policy can stimulate economic growth. Are they ready to
\nhand over this power?\" -- Dr Makmur Keliat, executive director,
\nCentre for East Asian Cooperation at the University of Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"As I see it, the financial basis for a common currency do not
\nexist. The currencies of individual ASEAN countries are not
\nsufficiently strong to contribute to a common regional currency.
\nIt is worthwhile noting that it took the EU nearly fifty years to
\ndecide on a common currency. Even then, some countries,
\nparticularly the UK, are still not part of the Euro.\" -- K.
\nKesavapany, director, Institute of Southeast Asian Studies,
\nSingapore.<\/p>\n
\"Clearly a lot of work still has to be done to promote a sense
\nof ASEAN identity in the region. Why do the majority want to go
\nto a non-ASEAN country for treatment? And why do they prefer to
\nwork in a non-ASEAN country to work?<\/p>\n
In some instances, the people of certain countries may be
\nsuffering from what we call in the Philippines \"colonial
\nmentality\". Or they may be suffering from an ethnic inferiority
\ncomplex.\" -- E.Y. Maniaul, businessman, Philippines<\/p>\n
\"It is my understanding that ASEAN has become the synonym for
\nSoutheast Asia. The concept of ASEAN identity and community
\ninterests has been increasingly recognised as complementary to
\nnational interests.\" -- Kitti Wasinondh, Director General Of
\nASEAN Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand.<\/p>\n
\"ASEAN could be a potent economic, social and cultural force
\nif it were a more solid, cohesive bloc. Let's hope that the pace
\nat which ASEAN countries grow closer could be acclerated in the
\nnear future.\" -- Juan Sarmiento, statistician and writer,
\nPhilippines<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/asean-voices-on-asean-identity-1447899208",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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