Indonesia and ASEAN

In the past couple of years the impression has been created that Indonesia no longer needs the regional association called ASEAN. Such an impression was reinforced by the diverse statements of disappointment made by Abdurrahman Wahid when he was president with regard to ASEAN's spirit of solidarity. He even floated the idea of forming a new West Pacific Forum to replace ASEAN, but the idea died with Wahid's political demise.

Hopes are therefore high that the President (Megawati Soekarnoputri)'s present tour of the region will have a positive impact on the ASEAN spirit of good neighborliness. Being the biggest country in the organization, it is appropriate for Indonesia to take a strategic position in ASEAN so that it can contribute to plotting the direction in which ASEAN should be moving.

Through ASEAN, Indonesia -- together with its sister nations Brunei, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- can grow to be a region that is respected by the rest of the world.

One of the most important things President Megawati must do on her present tour is to remove the differences that have been growing among ASEAN's member countries and convince them that now is the time to begin working again and pass over the differences of the past. Indonesia must also be fully committed to working together with the others for the sake of progress in Southeast Asia.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta