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View all search resultsIndonesia and ASEAN: Another missed opportunity
Despite the many milestones of the 47th ASEAN Summit, President Prabowo Subianto’s decision to leave before its conclusion has left observers with lingering doubts over his administration's foreign policy stance and direction as well as its commitment to the regional bloc.
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President Prabowo Subianto attends the 28th ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit on Oct. 27, 2025, during the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur. (AFP/Pool/Vincent Thian)
T
he 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Kuala Lumpur just ended on Tuesday. Kudos to Malaysia: The gathering was superb, from the number of foreign dignitaries attending to the number of summits that took place. The Brazilian president and the South African prime minister also joined as observers, adding the flavor of the Global South to the summit.
Another milestone is the formal inclusion of Timor-Leste as ASEAN’s 11th member, after Indonesia’s chairmanship in 2023 laid the basis for its observer status.
Nonetheless, the question remains as to whether this celebration can bring ASEAN back on track, restoring its unity and relevance. Many observers have raised doubts over the organization’s effectiveness and relevance, as it cannot effectively deal with its own internal problems, let alone assert its centrality, especially amid the heightening geopolitical rivalry.
The Myanmar crisis continues, and soon ASEAN will have to face the dilemma of sending observers to the junta-organized election, or not. In the Thai-Cambodian conflict, all the glory goes to United States President Donald Trump instead.
This setback is largely caused by a vacuum of leadership in the grouping, and the biggest responsibility lies with Indonesia as the first among equals.
Indonesia has always been the one to set a political compass and lead the way, such as in the enactment of the ASEAN Community in 2003, which started with the idea of how ASEAN should become a security community.
A decade later, Indonesia came up with the vision on how the bloc positions itself in the ASEAN Global Community of Nations, which essentially elucidates ASEAN centrality, which is still highly cherished by its dialogue partners.
