Address by
H.E. Ong Keng Yong, Secretary-General of ASEAN
at the  Public Relations Academy of Singapore
12th November 2003, Singapore

“ASEAN Cultural Connection: ASEAN Values and
its Relevance to the Modern World”

Thank you for inviting me to join your important deliberations today.

Culture is our legacy and our future. We draw upon it to shape our identities - as individuals, as a nation and as a region.  Culture defines our heritage and helps in our personal and national development. An essential part of our culture is our value system. Many economists and policy-makers tend to downplay the role of cultural values in business and economic decisions.  Yet, behaviour and instinct in the economic realm go back to our cultural upbringing.

Can we derive a common set of “ASEAN values” from the vast kaleidoscope of diverse cultures in our region?  Let us attempt to examine what the behavioural attributes are of an ASEAN citizen.  From that characterisation, we might be able to get a clearer picture of the values underpinning ASEAN citizens’ outlook towards themselves and the world, and how these shared values could shape the future of ASEAN as a family of nations.

We know that an ASEAN citizen’s home country, ethnic group, socio-economic background,  religion and professional experiences determine his/her values.  Work habits, views about time and life-opportunities vary from country to country. Confucian values are dominant among Singaporeans and Vietnamese. Islamic values govern much of social practices in Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia. Latin influences are prevalent in the Philippines. Buddhist and Hindu values are deeply rooted in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand.

Nonetheless, there are behavioural inclinations that cut across societies of Southeast Asia that have been shaped through the centuries by common geography, climate and shared historical experiences with each other and with countries outside the region.

Generally speaking, an ASEAN citizen is family-oriented, tradition-minded, respectful of authority, consensus-seeking and tolerant. Basically, we have a culture of caring and sharing. Helping each other, sharing responsibilities, sharing benefits. These common qualities in attitudes and predispositions are clearly reflected in the Bali Concord II (Declaration of ASEAN Concord II) adopted by ASEAN Leaders at their Summit in Bali, in October 2003.  This important document  has  stressed shared responsibility, shared prosperity and shared identity.

The Concord emphasizes shared responsibility in “strengthening the economic and social stability of the region” and in ensuring member countries’ “peaceful and progressive national development.” It reinforces their mutual respect by reiterating their adherence to “the principle of non-interference and consensus in ASEAN cooperation.”

The Bali Concord II also affirms the concept of shared prosperity. It underscores “the interdependence of the ASEAN economies and the need for ASEAN member countries to adopt ‘Prosper Thy Neighbour’ policies in order to ensure the long-term vibrancy and prosperity of the ASEAN region.”

The Concord reflects the ASEAN people’s traditional respect for authority and the rule of law in “reiterating the importance of rules-based multilateral trading system that is equitable and that contributes to the pursuit of development.”

Finally, the Concord reaffirms the shared identity of  ASEAN member countries which are “bonded together in partnership in dynamic development and in a community of caring societies, committed to upholding cultural diversity and social harmony.”

ASEAN partnership is strengthened by the nurturing of common values, which as articulated by the Bali Concord II, include the “habit of consultation to discuss political issues and the willingness to share information on matters of common concern.”  ASEAN aspires to “develop a set of socio-political values and principles” and resolves “to settle long-standing disputes through peaceful means.”

ASEAN is committed not only to the promotion of peace and stability in  Southeast Asia but also throughout the larger Asia-Pacific region. In its goal to achieve a common regional identity and mutually beneficial regional integration, ASEAN remains outward-looking. The Concord has the vision of  “realizing an ASEAN Community that is open, dynamic and resilient.”

The  so-called “ASEAN Way” is what has made ASEAN a peaceful region and what makes ASEAN increasingly relevant to the modern world. We may have our political differences and on occasion, our national agenda may take precedence over the regional agenda, leading sometimes to disputes. Certain quarters sensationalize such intra-regional disagreements. But they fail to point out that we in ASEAN are steeped in ways of thinking and acting that lend themselves to harmony and stability. Our tolerance towards our diverse social and political backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities and religions is a key factor in our resilience— in helping us resolve conflict and maintain peace among ourselves. 

Given the speed of globalisation and the fast-track integration of economies, ASEAN can offer itself as an attractive model for regional integration. Within ASEAN, political decisions are made by the “ASEAN Way” -- that is achieving harmonious results based on consensus. There is also a conscious effort to consider the special needs of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam and to make sure that they are not left behind in the regional development process. Though some decry and may be cynical about this method, one has to realise that when the world was grappling with the SARS disease, ASEAN was the only region that worked in a cohesive manner to overcome the crisis.  Yes, we are slow and might come across as confusing and indecisive. But we have no destructive inter-state conflict.

ASEAN is keen to build a special kind of community in South East Asia.  We are using the values our peoples have inherited through their respective socialisation experiences.  At the same time, ASEAN as a regional organisation has adopted approaches and strategies to enrich the existing value-systems of member countries and to consolidate a collective value system that will be the foundation of an emerging ASEAN community.

ASEAN’s pluralist approach to community-building is a product of the diversity of member countries. But it also represents the united wish of everyone of them to join hands in realizing regional integration. The path towards reaching this goal is made  easier by the values that they share and hold dear —a preference for tolerance, harmony, and consensus.

In conclusion, as we discussed the promotion of ASEAN culture through education, mass media and the young generation, the values which I have highlighted are something which we must bear in mind.  They are not elements of political correctness.  They are essential ingredients for achieving our goal of a cohesive and progressive ASEAN.