ASEAN MUST RECLAIM CONFLICT PREVENTION ROLE AMID RISING INDO-PACIFIC TENSIONS

By Wan Muhammad Aslah Wan Razali

KUALA LUMPUR, April 9 (Bernama) -- As geopolitical competition intensifies across the Indo-Pacific, regional institutions like ASEAN must reclaim their original purpose of confidence-building and conflict prevention, said the Head of the National Security College (NSC) at the Australian National University.

Currently in Malaysia to attend the 17th ASEAN Regional Forum Experts and Eminent Persons (ARF EEP) meeting, Professor Rory Medcalf stressed the importance of “middle players” in navigating a world no longer reliably governed by a stable balance between China and the United States (US).

“I think that to begin with thinking about the interests of our nations in the Indo-Pacific, whether it's Australia, whether it's Malaysia, whether it's other middle powers in particular.

“I do think that it remains very useful to look at the broader geopolitical framing,” he said while speaking on the recent Bernama TV’s Diplomatic Dispatch. 

He pointed to a broad coalition of actors in the Indo-Pacific, highlighting ASEAN, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and India as part of what he described as an extraordinary cast of countries that the region can work with.

He added that the “Trump shock” had prompted a need to reinvigorate regional institutions, particularly those centred around ASEAN, and to approach them with renewed seriousness of purpose. 

He expressed hope that this moment presents an opportunity to do exactly that.

Meanwhile, addressing Malaysia’s role as ASEAN Chair, he commented that the country faces an intense diplomatic workload in leading the region, cautioning that if countries do not step up now, the opportunity to make meaningful progress could be lost.

He stressed that the current turbulence in the international system presents an opportunity for Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair, as well as for ASEAN’s partners like Australia, to uphold key principles such as international law, mutual respect, the equal sovereignty of nations, and adherence to rules. 

He mentioned that this period represents an intense workload for the diplomacy of Malaysia and ASEAN, cautioning that failure to act decisively now could result in missed opportunities for the region.

He cited Japan as a major power in the region and noted that South Korea also has much to contribute.

He added that Australia plays its own distinct role, while within ASEAN, each member state brings unique strengths and varying levels of influence and capacity.

He stressed that ASEAN’s effectiveness depends heavily on leadership and coordination from its chair, making Malaysia’s current role particularly significant.

He also stressed the importance of engaging global actors like Europe, which remains committed to the prosperity and stability of the Indo-Pacific and supports a rules-based order.

--  BERNAMA