I

t is year’s end again when the joyous and celebratory mood sets in. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is also approaching the end of its 44th year, with Indonesia being the ASEAN Chair over the past 1 year.

The 19th ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings were being held from Nov. 14-19, 2011 in Bali, Indonesia and concurrently this year, the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) were being held from Nov. 11-22, 2011 in Jakarta and Palembang, and is itself into the 26th edition.

The sixth East Asian Summit (EAS) followed suit, convened by ASEAN, hosted by Indonesia and for the first time included Russia and the United States. What makes this year a special year for ASEAN and in particular for Indonesia?

Indonesia is the world’s 16th largest economy and the largest democracy not just in Southeast Asia, but also in East Asia. As noted by many already, during its 2011 ASEAN chairmanship, Indonesia brought in several major new initiatives. The first initiative was the role played by Indonesia as a peacemaker in the Cambodia-Thailand conflict over the Preah Vihear temple.

The second was the country’s efforts urging fellow ASEAN members to provide steadfast support to Myanmar to help make the Myanmar government open up its political system and introduce other reforms more quickly. The third initiative, taken collectively within the context of EAS, strives to deliberate strategic issues for the region in economics, politics and security fields.

The fourth initiative also voiced by Indonesia collectively with ASEAN, strives to keep dialogue and negotiations on the implementation of the Declaration of Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (DoC) moving ahead.

Amid all the above mentioned events and initiatives etc, as well as the challenges Indonesia faced (and still is facing) in its domestic economy, coupled with the financial and political worries in Europe, North America and elsewhere, Indonesia has done well.

As a prominent member of ASEAN and also of the Group of Twenty (G20), Indonesia has important duties to fulfill and leadership roles to play for itself, for ASEAN and the rest of the world.

As a major economy and power in ASEAN, Indonesia’s decisions and leadership initiatives will be listened to; considered more seriously; and implemented more readily by the existing regional institutions be it in ASEAN+3; ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF); ASEAN Defense Ministers Plus (ADMM Plus) and other International Organizations such as the United Nations (UN), International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB) etc.

ASEAN should also be able to contribute to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and G20 processes, more effectively with Indonesia’s leadership. These are tremendous challenges for ASEAN as a whole and Indonesia in particular.

As ASEAN’s largest nation and biggest economy, Indonesia can stand proud of its many achievements from having gained Independence in 1945, to establishing universal suffrage with a liberal democracy in 1999, and to winning the most gold medals in the SEA Games.

But the ending of the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2011 as well as winning the most number of gold medals in the SEA Games is only the beginning for Indonesia, as an ASEAN regional and global leader.

Coincidentally, it is the fourth time that Indonesia hosted the ASEAN Summit (having held it in 1976, 2003 and twice this year in 2011) and also the fourth time it hosted the SEA Games, (having held it in 1979, 1987, 1997 and this year). The ASEAN and East Asian Summits and SEA Games have started and concluded very well this year. It is indeed one more step forward for Indonesia.

ASEAN nations certainly look forward to more leadership from Indonesia and Indonesians can stand proud of the nation’s many achievements. The end of the ASEAN Chairmanship is only the beginning for Indonesia!

The writer is research fellow and administrative manager at the Centre on Asia and Globalization (CAG) at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. The views expressed here are his own.