Monday, October 26, 2009

Building an ASEAN Community through Voluntarism

Volunteering creates a national character in which the community and
the nation take on a spirit of compassion, comradeship and confidence. ~

1.0 Declaration of ASEAN Concord II
1.1 At the Ninth ASEAN Summit in October 2003, ASEAN Member Countries declared their intention to establish an ASEAN Community by the year 2020, which shall be based on three (3) core pillars, namely: Political and Security Cooperation, Economic Cooperation and Socio-Cultural Cooperation.
1.2 This declaration is now known as the Declaration of ASEAN Concord II; it is also known as Bali Concord II since it was signed by all ten (10) ASEAN Member Countries in Bali, Indonesia on 7 October 2003 .
1.3 The declaration recognized that the three core pillars are closely intertwined and mutually reinforcing for the purpose of ensuring durable peace, stability and shared prosperity. The integration between all ASEAN Member Countries shall be deepened. The aim is to create an ASEAN community that is ‘open, dynamic and resilient’.
1.4 The Bali Concord II further declared that ‘ASEAN shall respond to the new dynamics within the respective ASEAN Member Countries and shall urgently and effectively address the challenge of translating ASEAN cultural diversities and different economies levels into equitable development opportunity and prosperity, in an environment of solidarity, regional resilience and harmony.’
1.5 It was further recognized that ‘ASEAN shall nurture common values, such as habit of consultation to discuss political issues and the willingness to share information on matters of common concern, such as environmental degradation, maritime security cooperation, the enhancement of defense cooperation among ASEAN countries, develop a set of socio-political values and principles and resolve to settle long-standing dispute through peaceful means.’
1.6 The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) will remain the key code of conduct governing relations between states and a diplomatic instrument for the promotion of peace and stability in the region, whilst ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) shall remain the primary forum in enhancing political and security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region. In short, the platform for political and security cooperation remains unchanged to ensure continuity and sustainability.
The 10-point declaration went on to conclude that ‘ASEAN shall continue to foster a community of caring societies and promote a common regional identity’.
1.7 The rest of the Bali Concord II elaborates the framework to achieve a dynamic, cohesive, resilient and integrated ASEAN Community. In line with the three (3) core pillars, the framework envisages the development and creation of an ASEAN Security Community, an ASEAN Economic Community and an ASEAN Sosio-Cultural Community.
1.8 All the leaders of ASEAN Member Countries concluded the Bali Concord II by pledging their resolve and commitment to bring the ASEAN Community into reality and for that purpose, task the concerned Ministers to implement the declaration.

2.0 Vientiane Action Programme (VAP)
2.1 To create the ASEAN Community, ASEAN Member Countries have adopted the Vientiane Action Programme (VAP) on 29 November 2004 . This VAP serves as an instrument to unify and cross-link the strategies and goals of the three (3) components of ASEAN Community.
2.2 The VAP is to be implemented during the period 2004-2010. Through the implementation of VAP, ASEAN Member Countries intend to narrow the development gap as well as quickening the pace of integration.
2.3 The VAP consists of ten (10) main components, as follows:
• To pursue and realize an open, dynamic and resilient ASEAN Community by 2020 as stipulated in the Declaration of ASEAN Concord II, with the Recommendations of the High-Level
Task Force on ASEAN Economic Integration;
• To address the development issues and special needs of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV) and sub-regional areas of ASEAN, focusing on the realization of the concept of Prosper-Thy-Neighbour by instituting programmes to narrow the development gap, lowering socio-economic discrepancies and removing poverty within ASEAN, with the contributions from sub-regional arrangements such as East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA), IMT-GT (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand-Growth Triangle), IMS-GT, ASEAN Mekong Basin Development Cooperation (AMBDC), Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) and the Ayeyawady-Chao Praya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS);
• To build up further ASEAN’s institutional framework, mainly its structure and process so as to effectively respond to the challenges and needs of moving toward an ASEAN Community;
• To take greater outward-looking external relation strategies with Dialogue Partners and friends in achieving the ultimate goal of a peaceful, secure, and prosperous region by consolidating its economic linkages and enhancing its socio-cultural cooperation with East Asia and others;
• To strengthen ASEAN by taking it toward the development of an ASEAN Charter;
• To work closely between and among Member Countries, in order for the ASEAN Community to be accomplished on the basis of equality, non-discrimination and mutual benefit generated by active involvement from the public sector and all other sectors of society within and outside ASEAN;
• To promote a shared aspiration for peace and prosperity and an ASEAN cultural heritage as its spirit, and as its regional identity;
• To endorse the Vientiane Action Programme (VAP) succeeding the Hanoi Plan of Action (HPA) for the period 2004-2010, serving as an instrument to unify and cross-link the strategies and goals of the three pillars of the ASEAN Community, so as to realize the goals of ASEAN Vision 2020;
• To have the VAP as a stimulus to the creation of the ASEAN Community that is continuously evolving; and
• To be committed to carry out the VAP heeding two areas: the first, broadening integration of the ten Member Countries into one cohesive ASEAN Community, and the second, identifying new strategies to narrow the development gap and working closely among ourselves, with our Dialogue Partners and others to mobilize political will and produce the required resources to effectively implement the VAP.
2.4 The backbones of the ASEAN Community are (i) ASEAN Security Community, (ii) ASEAN Economic Community, and (iii) ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.
Whilst the Bali Concord II envisages the creation of an ASEAN Community by the year 2020, the Vientiane Action Programme (VAP) expedites the timeline to 2015.
2.5 The ASEAN Security Community will increase ASEAN’s political and security cooperation under five (5) main areas, including:
• Political Development, mainly promoting the political environment through measures, like enhancing human rights and obligations, free flow of information, consolidation of legal infrastructure, more participation of parliamentarians, business groups and other non-governmental bodies, and fighting and preventing corruption;
• Shaping and Sharing of Norms to contribute to the building of a “just, democratic and harmonious environment”, including the formulation of an ASEAN Charter, ASEAN Mutual Legal Assistance Agreement, and the study of a possible ASEAN extradition treaty;
• Conflict Prevention, focusing on greater transparency and understanding of defense policies and the convening of an annual ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting, fostering maritime security cooperation, and reinforcing cooperation to address threats and challenges posed by separatism;
• Conflict Resolution, being committed to work towards innovative modalities and arrangements to uphold regional peace and security; and
• Post-Conflict Peace Building, securing peace and prevention of recurrent conflicts through humanitarian assistance, human resource development, education, reconstruction in the affected areas.
2.6 The ASEAN Economic Community is to build on the existing foundations such as the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) and the ASEAN Investment Area, ASEAN services liberalization and e-ASEAN ICT infrastructure. First, ASEAN needs to accelerate liberalization in eleven priority integration sectors (electronics, e-ASEAN, healthcare, wood-based products, automotives, rubber-based products, textiles and apparels, agro-based products, fisheries, air travel and tourism). Second, ASEAN Member Countries need to fully liberalize trade of goods and services in these eleven sectors by the year 2010. Third, it is the improvement of the ASEAN Dispute Settlement Mechanism (DSM).
2.7 The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community will incorporate the functional cooperation and work toward the improvement of the quality of life of all in ASEAN in four core areas of cooperation, engaging the business sector and civil society in:
• Building a community of caring societies;
• Managing the social impact of economic integration;
• Enhancing environmental sustainability; and
• Strengthening the foundations of regional social cohesion.

3.0 The Roles of Voluntary Sector in Developing an ASEAN Community

3.1 Whilst the Bali Concord II and Vientiane Action Programme envisage the creation of the ASEAN Community through formal framework and mechanism, the issue before us is to work this out within a less formal set-up ~ by means of voluntary actions; perhaps through civil societies.
3.2 Voluntarism unites groups of people under a common cause, empowering them to make a difference in society. Throughout history, voluntarism has grown in importance especially during times of needs. Volunteers have provided significant resources.
At the regional level, voluntarism would require a more solid cooperation and assistance from respective Governments. Voluntarism efforts focus mainly on different strata of societies e.g. the poor and lower income groups, the youth development, socially-dislocated groups, and the marginal groups. At best, this should prevent them from further societal dislocations during the process of regional integration.

3.3 Serious voluntary efforts demand pre-requisites, as follows:

(i) Passion
One must be convinced of his or her involvement in voluntary works before he or she could convince others of the efforts that are demanded of them. One must be passionate enough to garner strength and harness the talents that are available and move them towards achieving their respective objectives.
The passion that one possesses would strengthen his or her resolve when the times become more challenging. They will go extra miles to achieve what may seem impossible.

(ii) Pioneering Spirits
The world is not short of cynics. Only those with pioneering spirits will survive the perilous journey of societal transformation. They are willing to challenge the conventional but tactful enough to manage the cultural as well as political sensitivities. Those with pioneering spirits do not lose themselves in the horizon, but carefully chart their courses of actions and move on. They are achievers and do not despair during trying times.
More importantly, those with pioneering spirits must develop a Big Picture – a long-term vision – that would guide them during their transformational journeys. Only those with the Big Picture will be convinced of the courses of actions that they have taken.

(iii) Willingness to Share and Sacrifice
Voluntarism cannot prosper without willingness to share and sacrifice time, efforts, and resources. Willingness to share will breed excitement of achieving successes. This would further gather the energy to achieve other successes; thereby, developing staircases of successes, quick wins and opportunities for others to follow.
3.4 These pre-requisites are by no means exhaustive. But they are critical if voluntary works are to give impactful contribution in the development of a regional community.

4.0 Challenges and Conclusion
4.1 A plan such as the creation of an ASEAN Community is not without its challenges. Amongst others, the major challenges are as follows:
• ASEAN leaders have expedited the creation of ASEAN Community from 2020 to 2015. This requires extraordinary political will and commitment to act by all stakeholders. The question that has been posed is how can the ASEAN Community be achieved if uneven development continues within ASEAN?
• Will all ASEAN Member Countries continue with their respective economic and political reforms within their own countries?
• How would the security and socio-cultural barriers be addressed to expedite the process of regional integration? Self-centred political and security views should converge at some point in the future. Many transnational issues require resolute cross-border cooperation such as combating drugs and people trafficking, air pollution, and diseases.
4.2 If we believe community is a benefit of volunteering, we are challenged to find ways to bring people together in community, live or virtual, to increase the high touch of connectedness while respecting time pressures. Community can be strengthened when people gather around common values, learn together, work together, and share their stories and experiences with one another. Viewed in the context of the larger social issue of declining civic engagement and the loss of social capital (networks of social connections), it may be time to refocus our thinking and approach volunteerism as a powerful venue for building community and strengthening social capital.
4.3 It seems that all the previous discussions have been led by political leaders, government officials and government-sponsored bodies. These discussions have provided proper framework for the community to emerge. It is now timely for other independent non-government organizations to intensify the dialogues, inculcate common values, develop communication space between important stakeholders especially amongst the younger generations and spearhead projects on their own. They may want to start small with viable “projects” that could ensure success. And subsequently this “small” success could breed further successes and encourage others to join and at the same time foster trust and reputation amongst all stakeholders.
4.4 Transformation of a community is not a one-time effort. It is one continuous journey of change. And if your heart so desires to embark on this journey, be prepared to face the perils of the open sea.

Never doubt that a small group of commited people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. ~

Without community service, we would not have a strong quality of life. It's important to the person who serves as well as the recipient. It's the way in which we ourselves grow and develop... ~

Too often we under-estimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. –

Azizuddin Ahmad
Vice President,
Malaysian Youth Council