Mega urges ASEAN to address poverty

Mega urges ASEAN to address poverty

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri called on Association
of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) member countries to improve the
welfare of people in the region.

Citing the lingering problems of poverty and the widening gap
in welfare among member countries, Megawati suggested the
organization initiate more efforts to address the issue.

Addressing the 36th anniversary of the association as the
president of ASEAN, which Indonesia assumed last June, Megawati
said poverty remained the major problem in the region.

"Today, the problem of poverty remains as real as ever and its
ultimate conquest remains a dream in Southeast Asia," the
President said.

She said that addressing poverty would address the challenges
of security, especially terrorism and separatism in the region.

The President said that after the financial crisis in 1997,
the region, once dubbed the "Asian economic miracle", struggled
to eradicate poverty.

To add to various efforts that had been made, Megawati
underlined the need to build cooperation in maritime affairs as
the sea has played an important role in trade, transportation and
communication activities of the ASEAN member countries.

"Effective maritime cooperation can indeed help ASEAN overcome
the problem of poverty in the region."

ASEAN consists of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei
Darrusalam, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos
and Vietnam.

Among the 10-member countries, only Brunei Darussalam,
Singapore and Malaysia have managed to maintain their economic
growth and reduce the number of people living in poverty.

Megawati said ASEAN was currently seen as a two-level
organization with the six founding members at the upper level,
and the four latest members at the lower one.

"We are realistic enough to acknowledge the need for greater
cohesiveness within the association for bridging the gaps in
social and economic development among the members of ASEAN."

She said there should a forthright attempt to get the last
four members -- Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam -- to catch
up with the rest of the ASEAN family.

Acknowledging the existing initiative of ASEAN integration to
narrow the gaps, the President said that there should be stronger
cooperation to implement the idea.

"ASEAN may need to take a close look at its bodies, procedures
and approaches with a view to accelerating and enhancing its
responses to situations and developments as they rapidly unfold."