Ukraine War A Test Of ASEAN Resilience -- Scholar
A view shows a multi-storey residential building destroyed in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in Avdiivka (Avdeyevka), in the Donetsk region, a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine, April 19, 2025. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko
KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 (Bernama) -- The ongoing war in Ukraine serves as a critical test of ASEAN's resilience, said Dr Phar Kim Beng, Professor of ASEAN Studies at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).
"From an ASEAN perspective, the war in Ukraine is not merely a geopolitical contest but a lesson in resilience … that global instability can no longer be outsourced or ignored, and that regionalism must adapt not by rushing to respond, but by preparing to endure," he said in an article shared with Bernama.
Phar observed that, more than three years into the conflict, the war continues without a clear resolution.
bootstrap slideshow
While Western nations focus on strategic implications, he noted that ASEAN leaders are more concerned about how prolonged instability could reshape global trade and economic governance, directly impacting Southeast Asia.
Despite ASEAN's relative silence on the Ukraine conflict, Phar emphasised that this should not be mistaken for indifference.
"ASEAN is not idle. The war has accelerated the region's efforts to strengthen food security, build supply chain resilience, and pursue currency diversification.
"It reflects ASEAN's long-standing principles of non-interference, strategic neutrality and its cautious balancing of relations with external powers," he said.
He also highlighted that ASEAN's core focus in 2025 lies in economic resilience, including efforts to finalise the long-pending EU-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement, ensure coherence within the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and brace for the impact of escalating US tariffs under a second Trump administration.
"The Ukraine war is less a call to arms and more a warning – that the liberal international order is no longer coherent. Each region must now find its own footing."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
33 minutes ago
- The Sun
MACC, AKPS, and KLIA IPD strengthen security control ahead of ASEAN-PAC meeting in October
PUTRAJAYA: The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has strengthened security cooperation with the Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) and Kuala Lumpur International Airport District Police Headquarters (KLIA IPD) to ensure the smooth running of the 21st Principals Meeting of the ASEAN-Parties Against Corruption (ASEAN-PAC) scheduled to take place from Oct 28-30 in Kuala Lumpur. It said the conference will gather heads of anti-corruption agencies from ASEAN countries and representatives of international organisations, and will serve as an important platform to strengthen regional strategic networks in fighting corruption. 'Among the main agenda of the conference will be the presentation and ratification of the ASEAN-PAC Action Plan 2026–2029, as a continuation of the previous plan for 2023-2025. This action plan will serve as the main reference document in strengthening the joint direction towards regional integrity and transparency,' according to the statement. Additionally, the MACC said several programmes on the sidelines of the meeting are also planned, and these include interactive dialogue sessions and capacity development workshops targeting enforcement officers from ASEAN member countries. 'The ASEAN-PAC commitment is also in line with the provisions of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), thereby strengthening the efforts of ASEAN countries in formulating stricter and more effective policies and laws against corruption,' said the statement. The MACC Security Division made a strategic courtesy visit to AKPS and the KLIA IPD on June 11 as an initial step to strengthen security cooperation for the ASEAN-PAC event. Among the main topics discussed were the coordination of security controls for the arrival and movement of delegates, standard operating procedures (SOP) at KLIA, and comprehensive security measures during the conference.
Malaysian Reserve
43 minutes ago
- Malaysian Reserve
Malaysia to table ASEAN power grid roadmap by year-end
by NURUL NAJMIN ABU BAKAR MALAYSIA will present the ASEAN Power Grid Roadmap by the end of 2025 as part of its efforts to accelerate regional energy integration during its chairmanship of ASEAN. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the roadmap will serve as a foundation for the Philippines, as the next ASEAN Chair, to begin implementing the initiative in 2026. He said the success of the ASEAN Power Grid hinges on three critical elements which are harmonisation of regulations, alignment of technical standards and viable business and financial models. 'We need to ensure the grid system is stable and interconnected to support clean and renewable energy (RE) sources across ASEAN. Without a reliable grid, energy cannot be distributed effectively,' he said during the Leadership Dialogue session at Energy Asia 2025 today. Fadillah, who is also the Minister of Energy Transition and Water Transformation, noted that ASEAN countries possess complementary renewable resources, including hydro in Vietnam and Laos, solar in Malaysia and ocean power in Indonesia. He said these varying sources require strong collaboration and integration through a shared grid network. He added that discussions are ongoing within ASEAN's energy committee to establish standardised regulations and potentially create a regional energy regulator to oversee cross-border coordination. 'The vision is to make ASEAN a major global RE hub and we need to attract investment in technology and infrastructure to realise this ambition,' he said. Fadillah said Malaysia's own National Energy Transition Roadmap offers a clear pathway to net-zero emissions by 2050, with 70% of power to come from renewable sources. He said achieving this requires RM635 billion in investmentsand Malaysia is actively inviting global partners to participate. He also stated that Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) is investing over RM40 billion to upgrade the national grid in preparation for cross-border integration. In East Malaysia, the Borneo Grid led by Sarawak is already supplying electricity to West Kalimantan and will eventually connect to Singapore, Brunei and Peninsular Malaysia.
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Charging stations have now become promising investment in Indonesia as EV users grow in country
JAKARTA (Bernama-Xinhua): The business-related electric vehicles (EVs) charging stations are currently becoming a promising investment in Indonesia. In the period of January-April 2025, the sales of battery electric vehicles (BEV) reached 23,900 units, showing a significant 211 per cent increase compared to the same period of last year, according to data from the Association of Indonesian Automotive Industries (GAIKINDO). The Indonesian government, through its state-owned electricity company PT PLN and the relevant ministries, is now vigorously building EV charging stations across the country to meet the needs of EV users. As of March this year, PLN has installed a total of 3,558 charging station units across Indonesia's 2,412 strategic points, 1,000 of which are located along Trans Sumatra and Java, the country's busiest route. PLN has opened a number of opportunities for partnerships and collaborations with private entities, including office and education areas, to install charging stations. The company is also mulling charging unit installment in some poles in Jakarta. "Through collaboration, the expansion of charging station access can proceed more quickly and evenly throughout Indonesia, making it more comfortable for the public to switch to EV as part of a greener and more sustainable lifestyle. "We hope such collaboration will serve as an important stepping stone in building a robust EV ecosystem in Indonesia," Retail and Commercial Director of PLN, Edi Srimulyanti, said recently. The fact is, according to Bagus Made Arthaya, a professor of mechatronics engineering from the Parahyangan Catholic University in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia still has very limited charging stations and the current number is not adequate to support people using EVs. Moreover, most of the charging station units are still not able to fully charge an EV in a short time. "You still have to think about where you can find the best charging stations. It is still not adequate to support people. We need charging stations with less waiting time," Arthaya said in a seminar in Bandung. Indonesian Minister of Investment and Downstream Rosan Roeslani acknowledged that the number of charging stations in Indonesia was still limited. Therefore, the government will revise regulations to facilitate private sector investment in charging stations, so that their numbers will increase. "If there is an EV battery (investment), there must also be a charging station (investment). Our charging stations are indeed still lacking. Therefore, we will revise one of the government regulations on how these charging stations can be operated by third parties," Roeslani said in Jakarta. An observer of automotive from Bandung Technology Institute (ITB), Yannes Martinus Pasaribu, said that with the increasing demand in EV, the business prospects of establishing Public EV Charging Stations (SPKLU) in Indonesia became a very promising investment portfolio. In addition, investing in the charging station business would speed the EV adoption in Indonesia and encourage local partners' participation. "This clearly shows that the charging station is a very potential element in accelerating EV sales absorption in Indonesia," Pasaribu said. Mahaendra Gofar, EV Expert & Automotive Professional from EVSafe Indonesia, the country's first EV safety training and certification institution, said that the scarcity of charging stations present a potential business opportunity, both for the PLN as the state electricity provider and for private business players in this field. "We believe that the number of electric car users in Indonesia will continue to increase drastically. "Automotive brands that carry EV products will increase,and public perception of electric cars will gain greater acceptance. For this, the accessible charging stations are important parts of this ecosystem," Gofar said. - Bernama-Xinhua
