Asean chair should seek concrete progress

Inside the royal palace in Phnom Penh.

23 January 2012
By Deva Mohd Ridzam

Cambodia brings no domestic priorities with it

AFTER years of lagging behind, Cambodia, especially since joining Asean in 1999, had started to re-imagine itself -- determined to keep pace with the region's vibrancy.

Phnom Penh, a lovely city by the Mekong, has since changed rapidly. Unlike two decades ago, Cambodians today are increasingly feeling more like their counterparts in the rest of Southeast Asia.

The rotating Asean chairmanship will move from Indonesia to Cambodia -- for the second time this year. And after Indonesia's successful stint as Asean chair, Cambodians must be keen to do just as well.

Cambodians are excited. Already the Asean flag is prominently on display along the esplanade in front of the golden-roofed Royal Palace by the Tonle Sap River.

Since the United Nations peacekeepers departed Cambodia in 1993, there have been extraordinary accomplishments that the country can be proud of.

Cambodians have stories to tell that others would like to hear about the rebuilding of a once shattered and troubled country.

The transformation there cannot be described as a "Miracle on the Mekong" to quote the late United States congressman Stephen Solarz. This writer differs with the well-meaning American in that it is not a miracle; the transformation is a product of Cambodians' toil, sweat and tears.

Yes, today Cambodia has long bounced back from a lengthy nightmare (civil war, genocide and foreign occupation).

The country has nowhere to go, but up since it has incrementally been getting its politics and economics right. There is stability in the country, although it still has problems.

Joining Asean has been good for Cambodia. The hard work Asean leaders put in, in the mid-1990s, to encourage Cambodian leaders to join the regional grouping has been worthwhile.

As a smaller and a newer member state, Cambodia as Chair of Asean would be less encumbered by domestic preoccupations than larger member states.

There would not be a Phnom Penh wish list to take priority over the Asean agenda.

Prime Minister Hun Sen has already, and rightly, stated that Cambodia would carry forward the recent Bali Asean Summit's call for further Asean community building, one solidly rooted in economic integration i.e. a 'single market' of sorts (free flow of trade and investment and a free movement of skilled labour and capital by 2015). That would give Asean greater influence in world councils.

The overall challenge for the host in particular and the membership in general is not to seek big bang initiatives or announcements, but concrete discernible progress.

The real power of the Asean Chair is to set and manage the agenda. Cambodia should not be side-tracked with duller, nuts and bolts issues. It should, in Asean's long-term interest, perhaps, revisit the question of closing the development gap between the old and the new members if the region is to establish a real sense of community. It requires substantial shifts in resources.

Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar (CLM) should work towards putting in place a mechanism for mobilisation of Asean and dialogue partner resources. This could be in the form of voluntary contributions.

It would make sense as Laos will preside next year and Myanmar in 2014. Some coordination among the CLM countries is desirable.

Another big problem is that the 'Asean project' has yet to fire the imagination and enthusiasm among the ordinary people and the business community.

This lacklustre situation must be addressed. First, the private sector needs to do more to stimulate greater trade and investment activities on its own initiative.

Second, given the artistic and intellectual diversity in the region, there ought to be greater cultural exchanges. This would help create better surroundings for diplomatic, people-to-people, commercial and investment activities.

Leaders in Phnom Penh could perhaps also identify effective ideas to enhance and make the most of Asean. Adoption of more 'community symbols' is important.

Cambodia should try to get the Common Asean Time Zone (CATZ), for example. The country is well placed since it is at the very centre of the Asean Zone.

Besides symbolism, it makes a lot of economic sense in terms of finance, travel/tourism, commerce, etc. GMT +8 would bring Asean countries, China, Hong Kong and Western Australia into one time zone. The Summit in the mid-1990 deferred a decision on the subject to a future date.

Cambodia could also start the ball rolling on creating Asean institutions of governance, such as the Asean Parliament. Maybe the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Organisation could be a forerunner of this. It is difficult to be an Asean Chair these days. Cambodia is expected to host two summits, in addition to countless substantive and preparatory meetings, including ministerial meetings.

What Cambodia and Asean should focus on is to continue building a real and harmonious sense of community. It should be more than talk.