The idea of ASEAN Parliament seems distant, but not unrealistic

Bantarto Bandoro, Jakarta

The idea of an ASEAN parliament was debated at the recent seminar here on the Establishment of a Regional Parliament, organized by the Inter-parliamentary Cooperation Body of the House of Representatives. The idea of an ASEAN parliament is not new, but it did not emerge from an ASEAN process. It was first tabled by the Philippines delegation at the third ASEAN Interparliamentary Organization (AIPO) meeting in 1980.

The underlying argument was that such a regional body would be an effective decision-making mechanism and would help implement the regional policies of ASEAN. The idea surfaced again at the AIPO meeting in Phnom Penh last year.

Parliament is a political institution and its existence clearly reflects democracy.

It is therefore inevitable that the executive branch of government would have to communicate as well as consult with the parliament on major policy problems.

There is a parallel between the role of parliament at the national level and regional level. Globalization has given birth to pluralism in a way that it provides greater space for the involvement of other actors in the management of ASEAN regional problems. New regional issues, therefore, should not be the exclusive domain of the government of ASEAN.

The discussion on an ASEAN parliament should always be linked to the three main pillars of ASEAN cooperation -- security, economics and social and culture concerns. To strengthen such pillars, ASEAN needs to mobilize all of its regional components, including an ASEAN parliament. The ASEAN parliament would not only help translate ASEAN regional policies, but also offer a fresh perspective on the current development of the region.

Thus, the idea of a regional parliament is closely related to the level of regional integration here in Southeast Asia, although regional integration is a difficult and complex process. So far an ASEAN parliament is still an idea, perhaps even a nebulous idea. But if and when the region starts working for it, all aspects would have to be considered carefully.

The dynamics of regional integration is best illustrated by the European experience where credible initiatives for regional integration started only in the fifties. The European parliament, which was first constituted after direct election in 1979 is evolving. The process of European integration and the evolution of the European parliament offer useful insights for Southeast Asia to learn from in terms of following positive results and avoiding pitfalls, though social, political and economic conditions in Southeast Asia are vastly different from Europe.

No other region in the developing world has come so far forward firmly in emulating Europe in working for full integration. ASEAN, considered by many to be more successful compared to other regional organizations in the developing world, had never thought of an ASEAN parliament until 1980. The reason why the Philippines has been consistent with its idea of an ASEAN parliament is perhaps due to its belief that the region cannot avoid the global integrative forces brought about by the process of globalization.

During its initial stage, an ASEAN parliament can only start as a deliberative body. At this stage, one is not envisaging a regional executive on the lines of the European Council or Commission. It may still take many years before the next stage of Southeast Asian regional integration can be contemplated. The ASEAN parliament will therefore address its decisions or resolutions to the individual Southeast Asia governments or even ASEAN.

Because an ASEAN parliament will later be part of the regional architecture, those areas where ASEAN has been working and where there is already a regional consensus should be a subject of consideration. This in a way will give a variety of issues to the ASEAN parliament for deliberation. The development of an ASEAN community by 2020 should at least serve as an entry point for the regional parliament to consider salient regional problems faced by the governments of ASEAN. In such a framework, an ASEAN parliament can also deliberate upon security issues affecting the region such as terrorism, illegal migration and money laundering.

ASEAN parliament sessions and its committee meetings may be shared by countries in the region so that no country feels either burdened or neglected. Such meetings will expose local people and national media and sensitize them to fresh regional challenges.

This is how a harmonized regional perspective can gain momentum. The members of the ASEAN parliament, hopefully free from specific national constraints, may be able to think beyond their national position even on complex and sensitive issues. In the process, fresh constructive patterns may emerge for resolving such issues, and this in turn will strengthen ASEAN's three pillars.

Although an ASEAN parliament will not become the main regional decision maker politically, its voice in fresh regional issues should also be heard particularly when the vibration of regional integration is being felt even stronger now. The idea of an ASEAN parliament may seem quite distant, but it is not unrealistic. The distance between the idea and reality can perhaps be bridged by an understanding that a stable and peaceful united Southeast Asia can be accomplished if there is a high degree of participation by an ASEAN parliament in regional policy deliberations.

The writer (bandoro@csis.or.id) is Editor of The Indonesian Quarterly of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He is also a lecturer in the International Relations Post Graduate Studies Program, Faculty of Social and Political Science, at the University of Indonesia, Jakarta