Page 39 - The Ethics of ASEAN

A Model of ASEAN Ethics

be tested and assessed before germline editing of the human genome becomes legal. Of
course it is only a question of time until CRISPR research reaches the point where the risk
is considered “safe”.
As with rules-based ethics, ASEAN has adopted results-based ethics to improve its
efficacy. For example, the AEC and ASCC now use “blueprints” with objectives that include
workplans and strategic measurement of results. 20

ASEAN’s Leadership ethics
Despite its different categories, ethical thinking remains a deeply personal enterprise. It
is why members of the same family differ in their life decisions. It is why friends go their
separate ways after a fundamental ethical disagreement.
Individual ethics are developmental: we improve our ethics as we go through stages
in life (although this does not happen automatically). Individual ethics are also situational:
new and different social contexts put our ethical thinking to the test. Experience of ethical
situations in the real world is what Aristotle called practical wisdom.
Ethical leadership is about taking action on the basis of our ethical thinking. It starts
from “leading ourselves” in an internal dialogue over an ethical choice or action. However,
leadership is more often associated with its social dimension, when we lead others and are
joined by them in action.
ASEAN has been undeniably shaped by ethical leaders. This is true of the very
founding of ASEAN when leaders representing nations decided on an organisation based
on agreed regional principles.
Regional ethics would bring Southeast Asia’s new and politically disparate countries
together. One of the “founding fathers” of ASEAN in 1967, S. Rajaratnam representing
Singapore, described this as a new level: 21

We must now think at two levels. We must think not only of our
national interests but posit them against regional interests: that
is a new way of thinking about our problems. And these are two
different things and sometimes they can conflict. Secondly, we
must also accept the fact, if we are really serious about it, that
regional existence means painful adjustments to those practices
and thinking in our respective countries. We must make these
painful and difficult adjustments. If we are not going to do that, then
regionalism remains a utopia.

Other ethical leaders in ASEAN were thought leaders. Indonesian statesman and writer
Soedjatmoko was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for International Understanding
in recognition of his writing and diplomatic work to make life more decent and satisfying
for the poorest 40 percent of people in Southeast Asia. He argued that freedom is
20 The AEC Blueprint 2025 can be found here https://asean.org/book/asean-economic-community-
blueprint-2025/. The ASCC Blueprint 2025 can be found here https://www.asean.org/wp-content/
uploads/2012/05/8.-March-2016-ASCC-Blueprint-2025.pdf Downloaded 2 February 2022.
21 The Founding of ASEAN, from the ASEAN website https://asean.org/about-us downloaded 8 February 2022

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