TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Discourse: Bringing people together for community
AKP Mochtan - JP/Jerry AdigunaASEAN enters its 50th year of existence as a model for regionalism, bringing decades of peace and stability and facilitating robust economic growth for all its member states
Change Size
AKP Mochtan - JP/Jerry Adiguna
ASEAN enters its 50th year of existence as a model for regionalism, bringing decades of peace and stability and facilitating robust economic growth for all its member states. However, ASEAN leaders are aware that many challenges remain. The Jakarta Post’s Tama Salim speaks with ASEAN’s deputy secretary-general for community affairs, AKP Mochtan, to shed light on some matters. The following are excerpts from the interview:
Q: What can we expect to see in terms of community building efforts in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of ASEAN?
A: Fifty years is a long journey. For ASEAN, it is one that is marked with many proud and historical achievements.
The ASEAN journey is continuing, however. Community building is an ongoing process. It is irreversible and there is no option to turn back. As such, we cannot rest on our laurels and must continue to deepen and expand ASEAN achievements in all the pillars and sectors.
The 50th anniversary offers ASEAN a momentous occasion to embrace and invite all stakeholders to promote ASEAN’s ideals further. This includes the media. Together, we can make the 50th anniversary of ASEAN much more meaningful by reaching out more widely to citizens and hence make the ASEAN community truly people-centered and people-oriented.
Q: What do you make of the Philippines’ leadership for the Golden Jubilee of ASEAN?
The Philippines is one of the founding members of ASEAN. It has chaired ASEAN many times previously. As such, ASEAN is certainly in experienced, capable hands.
For the 50th anniversary celebrations, Manila is scheduled to organize a number of large events. These include, “Tribute to the ASEAN Founding Fathers” and “ASEAN Biodiversity Heroes,” among others.
With their very rich cultural backgrounds, and talented, cheerful predispositions, I am very sure that our Filipino friends will make the ASEAN Golden Jubilee celebrations lively, cheerful and colorful — the way that the Philippines always excels.
Q: How do you suggest ASEAN continue to remain relevant amid drastic changes in geopolitics?
During the half century of its existence, ASEAN has traversed over various geopolitical contexts. ASEAN survived them all; ASEAN has grown from strength to strength from its experiences.
Accordingly, there should not be undue concerns or doubts about ASEAN’s capability and capacity to continue to make contributions to the region and beyond through the ASEAN processes and mechanism; in short, through our well-honed ASEAN way.
Q: How can ASEAN continue to remain relevant for its people?
Being relevant to the people in essence boils down to how ASEAN is able to convey the benefits of the ASEAN community to its citizens.
This goes beyond awareness. The challenge for ASEAN is to nurture a sense of ownership to the ordinary citizens. Not only the ordinary peoples know ASEAN, but they are proud of ASEAN and being an ASEAN citizen.
For this, I would like to reiterate that the cooperation with and support of all stakeholders constitute key success factors. I look forward to maximizing the momentous opportunity of the 50th anniversary of ASEAN to work together more closely with the media, scholars, civil society organizations and entities associated with ASEAN so we can reach out to the people more widely, and hence make the ASEAN@50 truly a celebration for all.
