Australia's John Howard assesses Asia<\/p>\n
By Dewi Anggraeni<\/p>\n
MELBOURNE (JP): On April 3 Alexander Downer spent half an
\nhour with former prime minister Paul Keating, discussing a
\nstrategy suitable for Australia's engagement in Asia. A short
\ntime later, to journalists who bombarded him with questions,
\nDowner explained that the present government recognized Keating's
\ncontacts and expertise in Asia and Asian matters.<\/p>\n
The conservative Liberal-National Coalition win in the
\nfederal elections last month has uncovered a new cultural
\nlandscape in Australia, or rather, a regression, slight though it
\nmay be, towards the old Eurocentricism.<\/p>\n
While agents of change abound in Australia, it is becoming
\napparent that change, especially social and cultural, should not be
\neffected in a hurry. In 1972, Labor's PM Gough Whitlam came to power
\nand began to bring Australia into a new era. He cut the umbilical
\ncord with the United States, and resumed diplomatic recognition
\nof China. In 1975, sacking by the Governor General aside, he lost
\nthe elections to the Coalition.<\/p>\n
Entering the 1990s, Labor's PM Paul Keating with his remarkable
\nforesight, saw that economically Australia belonged in its
\ngeographic region, not a pathetic appendage to Britain or the
\nUnited States. He drove, with gusto, Australian businesses to
\njoin the economic regionalization. This was seen, by the ultra-
\nconservatives, as `Asianization'. In 1996 Keating lost the
\nelections to the Coalition.<\/p>\n
While gifted with foresight, Keating, and his ministers,
\nfailed to convey to the Australian population the urgency of
\nregionalization for Australia. It was obvious by the voters'
\nrejection last month that not enough of the population perceived
\nthe benefit of being part of a booming Asia. The push towards
\nAsia was seen in less than favorable light. People responded
\nemotionally, rather than rationally.<\/p>\n
In the months leading to the elections there were signs
\npointing to the re-energizing of the `purist' elements in
\nAustralia. These people are suspicious of multiculturalism,
\nuncomfortable with Asian migrants seemingly flooding the suburbs,
\nand wanted a reversal of the Asia trend in the country.<\/p>\n
The current prime minister, John Howard, is walking on a
\ntightrope. He is no doubt aware that a fair number of those who
\nvoted him in did so because of his stance against
\nmulticulturalism and misgivings about Asianization, and his
\nleaning towards Europe and the United States. Yet the fact is
\nthat economically Australia has no choice but to continue to
\ntrade with Asian, American and European markets, which are
\nbecoming less accessible by the minute.<\/p>\n
For a government seemingly so unprepared for the Asia push,
\nthe Howard government has done admirably well by securing a stop-
\nover visit by Malaysia's Dr. Mahathir. This was especially
\nsignificant since the relationship between former prime minister
\nKeating and Mahathir, until few moments before the elections, was
\nnot the best.<\/p>\n
On a personal level, it was very sensible. As Dr. Harold
\nCrouch, senior research fellow at the Australian National
\nUniversity observes, the gesture has sent a message to Mahathir
\nthat Australia regards him as significant and important. And he
\nwas able to accept this compliment, at no cost to himself.<\/p>\n
On a national level, it may have limited usefulness. It is
\nwell known in Malaysia, that there is an understanding that
\nMahathir may stand down to let his deputy Anwar Ibrahim to take
\nthe rein, even before the next elections. Ibrahim himself is not
\na stranger to Australia. He has in fact made several private
\nvisits to this country.<\/p>\n
So relationship between the two countries has always been
\ngood. Crouch emphasizes: \"The fundamentals of the relationship
\nhas never been disturbed. Educational exchange, joint military
\nexercise and trade, went up during the relationship crisis
\nbetween Keating and Mahathir. In the last three and four years
\ngraphs in trade went straight up. Australia is actively marketing
\neducation in Malaysia.\" Dr. Crouch adds that those who didn't
\nknow politics and only saw activities in trade and other areas
\nbetween Australia and Malaysia, wouldn't know there was any
\ncrisis.<\/p>\n
Malaysia is aware that it is expedient to buy Australian
\nmade patrol boats because they are the same models used by the
\nAustralian navy. This ensures that there is a guaranteed supply
\nof spare parts. This cannot be taken for granted with Germany and
\nthe U.S., who are producing patrol boats for export markets.
\nNaturally if they stop selling the boats, they will eventually
\nstop selling the parts. And with joint military exercises,
\ncompatibility of patrol boats is surely desirable.<\/p>\n
One thing the Howard government seems to have learned is,
\nwhatever it does, it has to have community support. In a speech
\nto the University of Sydney mid-February, the then Opposition
\nForeign Affairs spokesman, Alexander Downer, stressed that fact.
\nWhile stating that a Howard administration would regard
\nengagement with Asia as its highest foreign policy priority, the
\nchallenge is to ensure that the Australian public is encouraged
\nto support this process. \"The rhetoric of the Australian
\ngovernment will mean nothing if the government's strategy does
\nnot have widespread community support\", said Downer.<\/p>\n
Downer's own rhetoric then was, `Engagement with Asia, but
\nwith less pizzazz'. The challenge now is to clarify what that
\nmeans. Maintaining a low profile? Can Australia, especially this
\ngovernment, with its reputation of reluctance towards Asia,
\nafford to continue in this mode and be taken seriously in Asia?<\/p>\n
Taking advantage of Paul Keating's experience in dealing with
\nAPEC and the region may be a step in the right direction for the
\nHoward government.<\/p>\n
The writer is a freelance journalist based in Melbourne.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/australias-john-howard-assesses-asia-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }