Page 28 - The Ethics of ASEAN

The Ethics of ASEAN

Ethics of the ASEAN Way
An ethic for a region is a common project, a work in progress that changes with history. In
modern regions like the EU and ASEAN, ethics develop through dialogues and meetings
rather than by the domination of any one country.
How do ASEAN’s political, legal, economic and socio-cultural differences come together
to make up ethical principles and values? Developing applied values and responding to issues
in action is a process. It can take time. In ASEAN, the process of consensus-building to reach
agreement, preferably by unanimous consensus, takes place in informal as well as formal
discussions. This came to be called the “ASEAN Way.” In 2008 the term actually became the
title of the ASEAN anthem. Here is a description of the ASEAN Way. 11

A working process or style that is informal and personal.
Policymakers constantly utilise compromise, consensus, and
consultation in the informal decision-making process... it above all
prioritises a consensus-based, non-conflictual way of addressing
problems. Quiet diplomacy allows ASEAN leaders to communicate
without bringing the discussions into the public view. Members avoid
embarrassment that may lead to further conflict.

Critics of the ASEAN Way point to its tendency to reach agreement on general statements
of principle and weak declarations rather than deciding on enforceable policies and
effective action.
The European Union is often compared to ASEAN as both are considered the only
successful regional governments today. But in the EU, decisions concerning ethics and
rights are legally binding and implementation is enforced. EU ethics, however, are based on
commonly shared Christian values and democratic republics while ASEAN is multi-religious
and politically quite diverse. Implementation of EU ethics are more legal and policy oriented
such as the “four freedoms” (free movement of goods, services, capital, and people) and are
protected from invasions by non-democratic regimes thanks to the military might of NATO.
ASEAN, on the other hand, has declarations and roadmaps and implementation depends on
a nation’s will to respect and enforce what has been generally agreed.
Is the ASEAN Way an ethic in need of revision? It is a question hotly debated and not
limited to diplomatic summits as we shall see in Part Two.

Ethics of Civil Society
For ethical issues, given the difficulty of the ASEAN Way of decision-making by consensus,
much of the heavy-lifting for identifying issues and taking action on the ground has fallen
to civil society organisations (CSO). A report on the occasion of ASEAN’s 50 anniversary
th
underlines the recent influence and growing importance of these ethics-based social
enterprise organisations. 12

11 The “ASEAN Way”: The Structural Underpinnings of Constructive Engagement by Logan Masilamani and Jimmy
Peterson, Foreign Policy Journal October 15, 2014
12 “Non-state Actors’ Engagement with ASEAN: Current State of Play and Way Forward “ summary by the Habibie
Centre Alexander C. Chandra, A. Ibrahim Almuttaqiin ASEAN@50 Volume 4 page 222 published 22 September
2017

18