New era dawns in post-Cold War Asia

By Paulus Usmanto Njo

A number of Asian intellectuals observed fundamental changes in post-Cold War era and found Commission for a New Asia in 1992. Prominent economist Mohammad Sadli, one of the commission members, discusses the background of the establishment of the commission and how far has it gone.

JAKARTA (JP): "There will be the return of history -- of the times when Asia was the cradle of human civilization," according to an independent group of Asian experts.

Two-year-old Commission for a New Asia has this vision of an Asian renaissance. In its report titled "Towards a New Asia" not only does the Commission endorse Asia as the economic center of the 21st century, but it also intimates the continent with moral and political leadership of the future, by the benchmark of the year 2020.

The Commission for a New Asia comprises 16 Asian intellectuals of various political persuasions. It came into being following a meeting on Dec. 19, 1992 in Kuala Lumpur, with funds provided by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation of Japan. Professor Stephen Fitzgerald of Australia and Dr. Gennadi Chufrin of Russia have been members of the Commission.

History seems to have come to the side of Asia. In the 1980s, East Asia grew by 7.8 percent and South Asia by 5.2 percent -- compared with 3.1 percent for the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries, 1.6 percent for Latin America and 2.1 percent for sub-Saharan Africa. The 1990s, albeit showing some moderation, will likely see a similar pattern of Asian dominance.

Robust economic expansion and social stability in Asia, in contrast with recession and social problems in the West, have been seen as an evidence of long-term transfer of power towards Asia. An increasing number of Asian elites have come to the conclusion that it is the developed world which is increasingly dependent on developing economies.

In turn, Asia's rising economic power has emboldened many Asian leaders in their dealings with the West. Western pressure on human rights or labor issues is dismissed as springing from envy or simply a desire to fetter Asian economic growth trends.

The establishment of the Commission for a New Asia manifests a further attempt to assert intellectual influence. Towards a New Asia was published in January 1994. While delineating a range if basic human rights from the right to democracy and representative government to liberation of women for the future of Asia, the book emphasizes moderation, balance, and an unending search for the "golden mean" as the guiding principles for progress. "Both extreme individualism and extreme communitarianism should be rejected."

"Societal harmony," the Commission believes, "is a core objective of every Asian society." In this regard, the dynamic change of Asia must take place within the context of order and stability and within the parameter of sustainability.

"We do not hold that progress can only come out of the crucible of conflict. Conflict is all too often barren of productivity and productive of societal destruction." Whereas nation building remains high on the agenda of many Asian nations, observes the Commission, the challenge for progress with stability is daunting.

In general, according to the Commission, Asia's democracy record has been a poor one. But Asia is democratizing -- through consensual, rather than combative democracy. "A fast democratizing Asia cannot be expected to tolerate myopic arrogance and self-righteous hectoring from governments whose democratic systems are in urgent need of repair and reform."

The following are excerpts of a recent interview with Professor Mohammad Sadli, a former Indonesian Minister of Mines and Petroleum, who is the only Indonesian in the membership of the Commission for a New Asia.

Q: How did the Commission for a New Asia come about?

A: It was the initiative of its members. The idea came up when we first met in Kuala Lumpur in December 1992. Well, Asia has experienced two epochs: the colonization era and the Cold War. The first period was devoted to the process of the decolonization and nation building. During the early decades of independence, the newly independent governments had to contain a lot of centrifugal forces. The Cold War was a mixed blessing. The non-communist countries enjoyed a lot of Western aid, especially in the three decades after the end of World War II. If a developing country declares itself neutral or non-aligned, it could even receive aid from the two contending blocs. On the other hand, the Cold War divided the world, also Asia.

The end of the Cold War has ushered a new era, but of what? A feeling, and perhaps the start of a movement, are shaping up to define Asia's own identity and to shake loose a perceived, and age old dominance, of the West, politically, ideologically, intellectually and ultimately culturally. Asia will not deny that many such values are universal and Asian leaders have come to adopt them in their nation building, but more important is to incorporate imported norms within traditional Asian values and attitudes that are still strong in everyday life. This is precisely the contribution that the Commission is trying to make.

Q: Is the Commission prescribing a new model of development, perhaps a new concept of socio-political organization that differs from the path of liberal democracy in the West?

A: We do not pretend we are creating a grand design of development. We would not boast unique Asian values. The boundaries of Asia are by themselves very difficult to pin down, and so are the presumed common denominators. Anyway, we could come up with ideas of our "Asianness" if we are being pressured.

Q: But isn't there such a thing as the Asian model of development, as exemplified by Japan, the four Asian Tigers, and more recently Malaysia, Thailand and perhaps Indonesia?

A: There are a host of theories and factors that explain the success stories of East Asian economies, such as Japan-led flying geese pattern, the importance of foreign investment and aid, export markets, the network of overseas Chinese, the chopsticks culture and human resources development. Just take what you believe. In fact, there is no single growth element. Macroeconomic stability is also essential. However, if there is anything outstanding in the so-called Asian model of development, it should be the role of the government. The red thread of the model has been smart intervention by the government. But again, there are other factors.

Q: Malaysia appears to be a lot more active in the promotion of Asian values?

A: Yes. Outsiders have been more interested in the discussion of the Asian values than insiders, except Kuala Lumpur, of course. Jakarta does not run hot on the issue.

Q: Why is that?

A: One of the trademarks of the New Order has been its soft nationalism. Under Soeharto's leadership Indonesia has pursued pragmatism, willing to work with everybody. The Commission for a New Asia is led by Dr. Noordin Sopiee (Director General of Malaysia's Institute of Strategic and International Studies). We support him in broad terms, but we are not obsessed by the mission. The way I see it, we (Asian countries) have been ambivalent in our dealings with the West. We need the West, but at times we resent being lectured and we would like to talk back.

Q: Japan has also been less than enthusiastic?

A: The Commission's work is funded by the Sasakawa Peace Foundation in the first place. Japan has also established a special Committee on Outlook for a New Asia. The Committee published a report "Outlook for a New Asia and Japan's Response" in February 1994. But, you are right, in it Japan seek to harmonize its dual orientation of Asian focus and Western alignment.

Q: What's the future plan of the Commission for a New Asia?

A: At the moment we have no immediate plans. "Towards a New Asia" has been our only output, whose spirit will remain alive. This is consistent with our belief that our Asianness is there but we do not feel like trumpeting it out unnecessarily. We have other priorities.

Paulus Usmanto Njo is working toward his doctorate degree at the Asia Research Center, Murdoch University, Western Australia.