Latest news with #ASEANPolitical-SecurityCommunity
The Diplomat
27-06-2025
- Politics
- The Diplomat
On Regional Tensions, Don't Expect Too Much of ASEAN
In the last week of May, Southeast Asia witnessed a series of significant diplomatic developments. Multiple ASEAN-led meetings were convened in Kuala Lumpur, including the ASEAN Summit, the ASEAN-GCC Summit, and the inaugural ASEAN-GCC-China Summit. Immediately following these meetings, the Shangri-La Dialogue defense conference 2025 took place in Singapore. During the same week, Thai and Cambodian troops skirmished along a disputed part of their nations' border, leaving one Cambodian soldier dead. These incidents – alongside the ongoing conflict in Myanmar and persistent maritime clashes between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea – underscore the increasingly dynamic and complex security environment facing the region. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is well-positioned to play an active role in managing, though not solving, these regional conflicts. While some believe that ASEAN should attempt to resolve such conflicts, it is important to clarify that ASEAN was established primarily as a conflict management platform. It is not structured, nor is it equipped, for conflict resolution in the traditional sense, given the nature of its operating and decision-making mechanisms. To understand ASEAN's limitations in resolving conflicts, we must revisit the rationale behind its formation and the foundational principles that guide its operations. ASEAN was founded in August 1967, in the aftermath of the Indonesia–Malaysia Konfrontasi and during the intensification of the Vietnam War. Its aim was to foster peace, stability, and prosperity in the region. Its five founding members – Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines – envisioned it as a platform for regional confidence-building. Initially, ASEAN focused on cooperation on socio-economic and cultural matters. Since the end of the Cold War, ASEAN has expanded to include all Southeast Asian nations, with the last remaining outlier, Timor-Leste, expected to become a full member by the end of 2025. It has also broadened its multilateral engagements through various mechanisms – such as the ASEAN Regional Forum, the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting, the ASEAN Political-Security Community, and the ASEAN Community – which aim to facilitate dialogue on security and economic cooperation. These forums allow for inclusive discussions and trust-building but often stop short of producing concrete and binding outcomes, particularly on contentious geopolitical matters. Two core principles define ASEAN's identity: non-intervention in the internal affairs of member states, and consensus-based decision-making. These enduring and pragmatic principles have enabled ASEAN to remain an inclusive and sustainable organization. ASEAN's approach to regional disputes stems from these principles, as demonstrated in the Five-Point Consensus plan addressing the Myanmar conflict, and in the ongoing negotiations over an ASEAN-China Code of Conduct for the South China Sea. The Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar was adopted in April 2021, three months after the Myanmar military's coup d'état, when ASEAN leaders reached a collective agreement on how to manage the Myanmar crisis, though the Consensus lacks binding and enforceable actions. Meanwhile, negotiations for the ASEAN-China Code of Conduct have spanned over two decades, illustrating both the inclusive nature of ASEAN's consensus-based approach, which values every member's input, and the inherent difficulty of reaching unified agreement on complex and sensitive issues. Moreover, external actors such as China, the United States, and the European Union continue to exert influence on ASEAN's internal dynamics, further complicating the process of establishing unified regional positions. It is therefore necessary to temper expectations regarding ASEAN's capacity to resolve deeply rooted regional issues. ASEAN and its mechanisms were never intended for such a role. The bloc lacks binding legal instruments and enforcement capabilities, and its consensus-based approach means that it is often hampered by divergent political priorities among member states, particularly on issues that touch upon their core national interests. In light of these structural limitations, ASEAN cannot be expected to assume a greater role in managing today's regional security challenges. Instead, its value lies in providing an important platform for fostering dialogues and confidence-building measures. While limited in yielding immediate and context-specific tangible outcomes, these remain essential for long-term regional stability.
The Sun
30-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Job scams a key issue under Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship
PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair in 2025, has pledged to take decisive action against transnational job scam syndicates, placing the issue at the forefront of its regional agenda. Malaysia's Foreign Ministry, Wisma Putra, in a statement on Friday said it takes the issue of job scam syndicates seriously. The ministry expressed its sincere appreciation to the Malaysia International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO) as well as other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and members of the media, for their continued efforts in drawing attention to the plight of Malaysians who have fallen victim to job scam syndicates across the region. 'Malaysia remains fully committed to working closely with ASEAN counterparts and all relevant stakeholders, including civil society, to strengthen preventive measures, enhance regional collaboration, and ensure protection for all victims,' added the statement. The Foreign Ministry said it has taken concrete steps to raise the matter with fellow ASEAN Member States, including at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat in Langkawi in January and the 29th ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Council Meeting held in conjunction with the 46th ASEAN Summit earlier this week. At the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat held in Langkawi in January, ministers reaffirmed their joint commitment to addressing transnational crimes, including people smuggling, trafficking in persons, drug trafficking, cybercrime, money laundering, and the rising threat of online scams. During the 29th ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Council Meeting, held in conjunction with the 46th ASEAN Summit, Malaysia stressed the urgent need for decisive regional action in tackling cross-border crimes. As a result, ASEAN ministers agreed to review the ASEAN Plan of Action to Combat Transnational Crime (2016-2025) to strengthen regional coordination and ensure that its successor documents address emerging and evolving criminal threats. In the 46th ASEAN Summit, ASEAN leaders also expressed strong determination to intensify cooperation under the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC), with an emphasis on law enforcement collaboration to combat online scams and trafficking in persons.
Barnama
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Barnama
Job Scams A Key Issue Under Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship
PUTRAJAYA, May 30 (Bernama) -- Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair in 2025, has pledged to take decisive action against transnational job scam syndicates, placing the issue at the forefront of its regional agenda. Malaysia's Foreign Ministry, Wisma Putra, in a statement on Friday said it takes the issue of job scam syndicates seriously. The ministry expressed its sincere appreciation to the Malaysia International Humanitarian Organisation (MHO) as well as other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and members of the media, for their continued efforts in drawing attention to the plight of Malaysians who have fallen victim to job scam syndicates across the region. 'Malaysia remains fully committed to working closely with ASEAN counterparts and all relevant stakeholders, including civil society, to strengthen preventive measures, enhance regional collaboration, and ensure protection for all victims,' added the statement. The Foreign Ministry said it has taken concrete steps to raise the matter with fellow ASEAN Member States, including at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat in Langkawi in January and the 29th ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Council Meeting held in conjunction with the 46th ASEAN Summit earlier this week. At the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat held in Langkawi in January, ministers reaffirmed their joint commitment to addressing transnational crimes, including people smuggling, trafficking in persons, drug trafficking, cybercrime, money laundering, and the rising threat of online scams. During the 29th ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Council Meeting, held in conjunction with the 46th ASEAN Summit, Malaysia stressed the urgent need for decisive regional action in tackling cross-border crimes. As a result, ASEAN ministers agreed to review the ASEAN Plan of Action to Combat Transnational Crime (2016-2025) to strengthen regional coordination and ensure that its successor documents address emerging and evolving criminal threats. In the 46th ASEAN Summit, ASEAN leaders also expressed strong determination to intensify cooperation under the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC), with an emphasis on law enforcement collaboration to combat online scams and trafficking in persons.
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
ASEAN 2045: APSC Strategic Plan strengthens cooperation in addressing transnational crime
KUALA LUMPUR: Strengthening cooperation in addressing and combating transnational crime and other emerging issues in the ASEAN region is one of the strategic measures outlined in the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Strategic Plan. The measure under the fifth of the nine Strategic Goals of the APSC's Strategic Plan, among others, aimed to strengthen ASEAN's efforts to combat transnational crime, covering terrorism, illicit drug trafficking, trafficking in persons (TIP), people smuggling and illicit trafficking of wildlife and timber, arms smuggling, sea piracy and armed robbery against ships, money laundering, international economic crime, cybercrime and online scams, by enhancing cooperation with ASEAN's external partners as well as the implementation of relevant work programmes, such as through increased information exchange, experience sharing, joint training and other relevant activities. APSC Strategic Plan is one of the three pillars of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, aimed at ensuring long-term regional stability and cooperation, as part of its broader vision under the ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future masterplan. The plan, which builds on the achievements of the APSC Blueprint 2025, underscores ASEAN's commitment to shaping an inclusive, resilient and rules-based regional order amid intensifying geopolitical dynamics. The APSC Strategic Plan will be implemented through a whole-of-ASEAN approach, supported by enhanced institutional capacity, cross-sectoral coordination, and greater public engagement to ensure its long-term relevance and success, as well as part of institutional strengthening and enhancing the role of ASEAN as a whole. Under the first Strategic Goal of the APSC, ASEAN aims to foster a peaceful, stable and secure region anchored in the principles of the ASEAN Charter, the United Nations Charter and international law, subscribed to by ASEAN member states. The strategic measures include promoting legal and judicial cooperation, strengthening the rule of law, and enhancing crime prevention frameworks. The second Strategic Goal focuses on strengthening ASEAN Centrality by reinforcing the role of ASEAN-led mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), East Asia Summit (EAS), and ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), while fostering new and meaningful partnerships with external actors. To ensure that ASEAN speaks with one voice on regional and international issues, the third Strategic Goal seeks to enhance the bloc's ability to project common positions in multilateral challenges and respond collectively to global developments. The fourth Strategic Goal, on the other hand, emphasises ASEAN's proactive role in shaping the regional architecture and contributes towards a rules-based international order amidst geopolitical tensions and rivalries, by deepening preventive diplomacy, promoting maritime and cybersecurity cooperation, and enhancing strategic confidence-building measures. The sixth Strategic Goal supports the objective of maintaining Southeast Asia as a Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEAWFZ) through the continued implementation of the SEANWFZ Treaty and expanded cooperation on disarmament and peaceful nuclear energy. On maritime affairs, the seventh Strategic Goal underscores the importance of maintaining regional peace and stability, particularly in the South China Sea. 'ASEAN will continue to advocate for the peaceful settlement of disputes based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), while working towards the early conclusion of an effective Code of Conduct with China,' according to the document. The eighth Strategic Goal is centred on the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), with emphasis on concrete cooperation in key areas including maritime security, sustainable development and regional connectivity. The ninth Strategic Goal envisions a cohesive and inclusive community that respects political, social, religious, cultural, ethnic diversities, which upholds the principles of democracy, rule of law and good governance, and respects fundamental freedoms, promotes and protects human rights, and promotes social justice. This includes promoting good governance, anti-corruption efforts, and interfaith understanding. The implementation will be supported by clear alignment between regional and national agendas, effective coordination across ASEAN organs, and regular monitoring mechanisms, including the mid-term review of the plan is scheduled for 2030 and end-of-term review in 2035, to ensure that its strategic direction remains adaptive to evolving regional and global developments. The APSC Strategic Plan forms a core component of ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future, the region's long-term vision to realise a dynamic, innovative and people-centred ASEAN by its centennial milestone.
The Sun
27-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
ASEAN 2045 plan boosts fight against transnational crime
KUALA LUMPUR: Strengthening cooperation in addressing and combating transnational crime and other emerging issues in the ASEAN region is one of the strategic measures outlined in the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Strategic Plan. The measure under the fifth of the nine Strategic Goals of the APSC's Strategic Plan, among others, aimed to strengthen ASEAN's efforts to combat transnational crime, covering terrorism, illicit drug trafficking, trafficking in persons (TIP), people smuggling and illicit trafficking of wildlife and timber, arms smuggling, sea piracy and armed robbery against ships, money laundering, international economic crime, cybercrime and online scams, by enhancing cooperation with ASEAN's external partners as well as the implementation of relevant work programmes, such as through increased information exchange, experience sharing, joint training and other relevant activities. APSC Strategic Plan is one of the three pillars of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, aimed at ensuring long-term regional stability and cooperation, as part of its broader vision under the ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future masterplan. The plan, which builds on the achievements of the APSC Blueprint 2025, underscores ASEAN's commitment to shaping an inclusive, resilient and rules-based regional order amid intensifying geopolitical dynamics. The APSC Strategic Plan will be implemented through a whole-of-ASEAN approach, supported by enhanced institutional capacity, cross-sectoral coordination, and greater public engagement to ensure its long-term relevance and success, as well as part of institutional strengthening and enhancing the role of ASEAN as a whole. Under the first Strategic Goal of the APSC, ASEAN aims to foster a peaceful, stable and secure region anchored in the principles of the ASEAN Charter, the United Nations Charter and international law, subscribed to by ASEAN member states. The strategic measures include promoting legal and judicial cooperation, strengthening the rule of law, and enhancing crime prevention frameworks. The second Strategic Goal focuses on strengthening ASEAN Centrality by reinforcing the role of ASEAN-led mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), East Asia Summit (EAS), and ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), while fostering new and meaningful partnerships with external actors. To ensure that ASEAN speaks with one voice on regional and international issues, the third Strategic Goal seeks to enhance the bloc's ability to project common positions in multilateral challenges and respond collectively to global developments. The fourth Strategic Goal, on the other hand, emphasises ASEAN's proactive role in shaping the regional architecture and contributes towards a rules-based international order amidst geopolitical tensions and rivalries, by deepening preventive diplomacy, promoting maritime and cybersecurity cooperation, and enhancing strategic confidence-building measures. The sixth Strategic Goal supports the objective of maintaining Southeast Asia as a Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEAWFZ) through the continued implementation of the SEANWFZ Treaty and expanded cooperation on disarmament and peaceful nuclear energy. On maritime affairs, the seventh Strategic Goal underscores the importance of maintaining regional peace and stability, particularly in the South China Sea. 'ASEAN will continue to advocate for the peaceful settlement of disputes based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), while working towards the early conclusion of an effective Code of Conduct with China,' according to the document. The eighth Strategic Goal is centred on the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), with emphasis on concrete cooperation in key areas including maritime security, sustainable development and regional connectivity. The ninth Strategic Goal envisions a cohesive and inclusive community that respects political, social, religious, cultural, ethnic diversities, which upholds the principles of democracy, rule of law and good governance, and respects fundamental freedoms, promotes and protects human rights, and promotes social justice. This includes promoting good governance, anti-corruption efforts, and interfaith understanding. The implementation will be supported by clear alignment between regional and national agendas, effective coordination across ASEAN organs, and regular monitoring mechanisms, including the mid-term review of the plan is scheduled for 2030 and end-of-term review in 2035, to ensure that its strategic direction remains adaptive to evolving regional and global developments. The APSC Strategic Plan forms a core component of ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future, the region's long-term vision to realise a dynamic, innovative and people-centred ASEAN by its centennial milestone.
