Kuala Lumpur: The likelihood of a country’s chairmanship of ASEAN being criticised widely is par for the course. In other words, it is fair and certainly expected from all sides. Thus no one should be intimidated by the criticism, oftentimes, non-constructive, against both ASEAN and the Chairman of ASEAN.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, ASEAN began as a “deviant community,” a term used by Chan Heng Chee, the former Head of the Department of Political Science at the National University of Singapore. Chan explained in ‘The ASEAN Reader’ that the Founding Fathers of ASEAN emphasized social, cultural, and economic cooperation over security and political collaboration, although the realities of Southeast Asia between 1967 and 1976 required significant attention to political and security cooperation.
By the end of the first Cold War in 1991, Tanaka Akio from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised ASEAN to transform the ASEAN Political Forum into the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). This initiative was supported by the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP), leading to the establishment of ARF in 1993. The ARF focused on confidence-building measures before advancing to preventive diplomacy and regional peacekeeping.
The ASEAN Regional Forum was created with the understanding that regional organizations like ASEAN should handle inter-regional issues as encouraged by Chapter 8 of the United Nations Charter. This was seen as an opportunity for ASEAN to assert its authority in regional affairs, guided by the ASEAN Charter adopted in 2007.
Despite systemic ignorance about ASEAN’s functioning among some foreign ministers and media, ASEAN continues to work with its Dialogue Partners such as Australia, India, China, Japan, South Korea, and the United States under Comprehensive Strategic Partnerships. These partnerships allow for a broad range of issues to be addressed collaboratively.
Malaysia’s chairmanship of the ASEAN Summit in 2025 marks its first under a Coalition Government. The diverse political background of Malaysia’s ministers from different parties introduces a new dynamic to the leadership. The Coalition Government, led by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, faces criticism, which they must navigate while adhering to the UN and ASEAN Charters.
ASEAN’s socio-cultural cooperation does not involve inter-faith dialogue but focuses on disaster prevention and development assistance to improve member states’ resilience. Technical experts within ASEAN recognize the importance of understanding the organization’s foundational principles as stated in the ASEAN Charter.
The Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2025 emphasizes “sustainability and connectivity,” concepts rooted in ASEAN’s Master Action Plans agreed upon in 2010 and 2015. These plans aim to guide ASEAN toward a unified community by 2045, despite pressures from international politics, including those arising from the foreign policy of the United States under President Donald Trump.
ASEAN’s strategic direction remains steadfast in maintaining its regional autonomy and cooperation, ensuring that it can handle international pressures while fostering internal unity and development.