Asean is more professional now; the next step is to enforce its decisions

In the first of a four-part series on South-east Asia, Ng Wei Kai talks to ambassador and former Asean secretary-general Ong Keng Yong about how the organisation has evolved, and Singapore's future in it.

- Ng Wei Kai

The next frontier for Asean is to find a way for the organisation to enforce its decisions on errant members, said its former secretary-general, Ambassador Ong Keng Yong.

Mr Ong, who is currently executive deputy chairman at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), was Asean's secretary-general from 2003 to 2007.

He told The Straits Times the organisation has become more professional and sophisticated since it was formed in 1967 as a platform for political and economic cooperation.

But questions remain on how it will tackle and enforce its decisions on thorny issues such as the crisis in Myanmar, he said.

Asean now comprises 10 member countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Home to more than 650 million people, the 10 Asean countries' combined gross domestic product is US$3.6 trillion (S$4.8 trillion).

This figure is projected to reach US$4.5 trillion by 2030, setting the bloc on track to become the fourth-largest economy in the world.

ST spoke to Mr Ong about what is next for Asean, and what has changed since his term as its chief administrative officer.

Q How has Asean changed over the last 20 years?

A The Asean secretariat (which is headquartered in Jakarta) has become more professional, in the sense that we have more experts and expertise.

Because of two decades of bureaucratisation, there is an increased ability to make decisions based on precedents.

We are now not in any way inferior to any of the United Nations expert organisations or any other international bodies on technical issues.

At the same time, this is a bit more time-consuming. You cannot just take an idea that you formed last night and tomorrow morning put it to an Asean meeting and get approval.

In the old days, you could get away with that.