REGIONAL COOPERATION-ASEAN

by Nadia, Izzatie and Maisarah

Regional cooperation is a combination of several countries for the benefit of members involved. This cooperation is established on the basis of mutual respect for the sovereignty and sensitivity of each member. It is also created in various fields such as military cooperation, economic cooperation, financial co-operation, legal co-operation, educational & cultural cooperation and so on. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established on August 8, 1967 in Bangkok. ASEAN consists of Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Brunei who joined ASEAN on January 7, 1984.

The main goal of the ASEAN organization is to accelerate the economic growth, social development and cultural advancement of the region through cooperation towards the creation of a peaceful and prosperous South East Asian community. While the main principle is mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty and national identity of each country. There are three areas of cooperation in ASEAN: political, economic, and social.

Firstly, aspect in politic. It is based on principles of self-confidence, self-reliance of mutual respect, cooperation and solidarity spirit, in which all these factors serve as a catalyst for the existence of a strong ASEAN community and further strengthen ASEAN politics. Asean countries adopt the concept of ZOPFAN (Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality) or Safe Zone, Free and Abandonment. This concept ensures that Southeast Asia was not involved in the conflict between the forces and has no foreign military bases.

Next, aspect in economic. ASEAN is introducing the AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade Area) or ASEAN Free Trade Area which is an agreement that focuses on the production of local products for all the countries involved. Prices of products from neighboring ASEAN countries will be cheaper with this free market. AFTA also enhances intra ASEAN trade flows by eliminating barriers or tariff barriers, the elimination of protection policies, bureaucracy, and lower taxes. This causes ASEAN products to be cheaper compared to products from outside the country.

The last field is social cooperation in ASEAN to meet the areas of culture, illumination, education, environment, science and technology, natural disasters, health, labor, social development, poverty eradication, protection of women & children and the enhancement of government administration. Among the joint venture projects implemented are women's development cooperation. In addition, Collaboration in Addressing and Overcoming Abuse and Distribution of Drug and Illicit Drugs (P4GN).