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ASEAN succeeds in reducing poverty rate, says expert
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This photo shows Rum, 65, living in an untidy hut in Manggarai, South Jakarta, on July 18, 2013. He is a portrait of poverty in the capital city.
(KOMPAS/*)
T
he Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has successfully reduced the poverty rate among its member countries, an expert has claimed.
Ong Keng Yong, executive deputy chairman of the Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) Singapore, commended ASEAN's efforts in poverty management during a speech at The Jakarta Post’s 33rd anniversary event on Monday.
The event, which gathered prominent figures from across the region for a seminar titled "Global Challenges and Regional Solutions: Engaging Stakeholders," discussed issues specifically faced by ASEAN member nations, especially in relation to the growing interconnectedness of the region since the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community at the end of 2015.
"No matter how you look at it, we have done something quite important in eradicating poverty," Yong said of the region's developments.
He explained that the ASEAN 6, which refers to the six original members of the Association - Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand - had reduced poverty in a significant way.
Meanwhile, he added, within the ASEAN 4 - Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam - the improvement rates were even greater.
"People are still hungry, but people are not dying of hunger," Yong said.
Many people now earn more money and no longer live below the global poverty line, which is set a US$1.25 per day by the World Bank.
Further, in its path to the ASEAN 2025 Vision, Yong believes the region will continue to progress in eradicating poverty.
In terms of women’s development and the protection of children and other vulnerable groups, ASEAN society has also seen progress, he added.
Along with the reduction of poverty and the empowerment of women, Yong expressed the hope that healthcare and the protection of children would also be tackled.
On this note, he emphasized the importance of leadership in ASEAN to encourage well-rounded development.
Yong criticized Indonesia's past leadership, which he called weak. As the biggest country in the region, it is important for Indonesia to come ahead, he continued, and said that any distraction to the country could potentially weaken its neighbors. (dan)
