October 8, 2012
www.nst.com.my
Farish A. Noor upon ASEAN Community in 2015
A COMMON DESTINY: All in ASEAN, generally Malaysians as good as Indonesians, need to brand usual goals which will move us closer together
WE have been staid upon a margin of a monumental change which will shape the
destinies of millions of Southeast Asians in a generations to come.
In 2015, a ASEAN Community will be upon us, bringing a countries of Southeast Asia even closer. And to accelerate this process, a segment has witnessed some-more intra-ASEAN transport than ever, interjection to a creation of a pan-ASEAN communications infrastructure in a form of cheaper airline travel, some-more roads, railways as good as bridges which connect, rsther than than divide, a nations.
As you demeanour to a nearby future as good as expect a changes which will invariably arise, it is not startling if some ASEAN adults wonder about what will happen to their particular national identities.
All around a region, you see a climb of hyper-nationalism as good as a ascendancy of some politicians who still retain a idea which their nation is improved than others, some-more deserving, nobler, loftier as good as some-more superior. We additionally see which some of a discouraging obstacles to closer team-work dawdle in between us, in a form of misapprehension as good as misunderstandings about "cultural theft", "hidden agendas" as good as so on.
Nowhere is this some-more evident than in a formidable as good as challenging attribute in between Malaysia as good as Indonesia, dual countries which sojourn tighten by trait of a usual story as good as geographical proximity.
Malaysia as good as Indonesia sojourn a closest as good as oldest civ! ilisatio nal neighbours to any other, yet it is unhappy as good as ironic to note which in between a younger era of Malaysians as good as Indonesians, there is less in usual than ever before, as good as which they sojourn jointly undeveloped of any other's countries. This should not be a case, for if there is any nation which Malaysians should be tighten to as good as during home in, it ought to be Indonesia as good as clamp versa.
The reasons why this order remains have been obvious as they have been numerous: It includes a rsther than astigmatic way in which Malaysians as good as Indonesians have been taught about any alternative during school, from an early age.
Our story books go upon to discuss it a stories of a nations from a slight patriotic perspective, unaware a actuality which prolonged prior to "Malaysia" as good as "Indonesia" emerged as nations, a peoples of a archipelago were already engaged in trade, movement as good as allotment for hundreds of years.
Then there is a media which has, of late, played a role in rousing tempers as good as highlighting differences rsther than than similarities, goading a some-more emotional in between us to sound a wail of patriotism when you ought to have been focusing upon usual goals as good as long-term aspirations instead.
Notwithstanding these differences, it cannot be denied which ASEAN's expansion will go upon in any case of whatever petty differences might arise in between a member states, as good as it is with which in thoughts which like-minded Malaysians as good as Indonesians need to brand a usual points of interests as good as goals which will inspire a centripetal, rsther than than centrifugal, forces which will move a countries closer together.
As you get closer to 2015, it is timely for both Malaysia as good as Indones! ia to de meanour during how a younger era of both countries view a rest of ASEAN, as good as their closest neighbours. Though it is doubtful which you will ever see a usual story text for ASEAN, any as good as any nation can do a partial by promoting some-more believe about alternative ASEAN countries in between a young.
During a brand new trip to Myanmar, we was pleasantly astounded to discover which most immature Myanmar students have been in favour of ASEAN integration, as good as which their general believe of Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, etc, was high.
How unhappy which a same cannot be pronounced about a younger era of countries like Malaysia as good as Indonesia, who were a founders of ASEAN itself. Could it be which in between a first countries of ASEAN, a judgment of ASEAN has been taken for postulated for too long, as good as turn staid as a result?
Linked to this need to teach ourselves some-more about a closest neighbours has to be a realization which a economic-financial landscape of Southeast Asia will additionally be changing in a years to come, faster than you realise. With simpler movement of people comes simpler movement of collateral as well.
Already across a ASEAN region, you see ASEAN countries investing in manufacturing, blurb as good as residential capital, etc, in alternative countries. Underlying this pattern of intra-ASEAN investment is a realization which any ASEAN nation needs to develop an external economy too, to variegate a investment net as good as to find as most trading as good as investment partners as possible.
All of this points to a presentation of what will be a brand new pan-ASEAN community done up of ASEAN adults who will be improved continuous than ever before.
In a lifetime, you will see a climb of this pan-ASEAN global citizen. For a subsequent era of Malaysians as good as Indonesians (and alternative ASEANn citizens) who have been savvy, talented, socially mobile as good as desirous will find his or her livelihood not ! usually in his own nation but additionally in a rest of ASEAN. The days when a Malaysian would study in Malaysia or Indonesia, work, settle, as good as retire in his nation will soon be over.
The subsequent era of ASEAN entrepreneurs as good as skilled workers will be born 
in one country, but might be prepared in another, eventually work in multiform others, as good as might finish up settling in multiform countries in a end. ASEAN will turn a usual homeland for a subsequent era of ASEAN adults but usually if you work right away to open up a event structures for this to turn a being for them.
It is with this thought in thoughts which we hope Malaysia, Indonesia as good as a alternative countries of ASEAN will step forward boldly as good as rise above as good as over a rhetoric of slight nationalism.
It cannot be denied which patriotism was an critical mobilising force in a 1920s as good as 1930s, when it served as a springboard for contingent independence as good as a finish of colonialism. But it has additionally bequeathed us a legacy of nation-states which sojourn trapped in jingoist narratives which have been slight as good as inward-looking.
As a segment moves to a centre of a theatre of geo-politics (as brand new flare-ups in a South China Sea have amply demonstrated) a clarity of homeliness, usual identity as good as a usual future is needed.
Whatever problems as good as misunderstandings which might have arisen in between alternative ASEAN countries in a past such as in between Malaysia as good as Indonesia need to be transcended for a sake of a bigger picture, as good as a future of ASEAN where any nation will need a neighbours some-more than ever before.
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