Page 27 - IDFR-Diplomatic Voice Vol 2 2014

FORUM NEWS learn lessons and inspire successes Singapore. With the theme Beyond ISIS Malaysia and Visiting Senior from its neighbours so as to catch Territoriality: Managing the Maritime Fellow at LSE IDEAS, Malaysia. The up with them. Commons in the South China Sea, this speakers were Dr. Manoj Joshi, Distin- session highlighted the common guished Fellow of Observer Research The sixth plenary session was on security challenges in the South China Foundation, India; Mr. Pramit Pal ASEAN’s Post-2015 Agenda: Streng- Sea which included navigational Chaudhuri, Foreign Editor of Hindu- thening and Deepening Community safety, Search and Rescue (SAR) stan Times, India; and Dr. Ian Hall, Building. It was chaired by HRH Prince operations, boundary issues, mutual Senior Fellow and Director of Gradu- Norodom Sirivudh, Founding Chair- suspicion, confidence-building mea- ate Studies in International Affairs man of the Cambodian Institute for sures on maritime security, manage- (GSIA), the Australian National Univer- Cooperation and Peace (CICP) and ment of fisheries as well as ASEAN’s sity. The focus of this session was Privy Counselor to His Majesty the management of the maritime essentially on challenges, both King of Cambodia. The speakers commons in the South China Sea. domestic and external, facing India’s included H.E. Ong Keng Yong, Singa- rise. Among the domestic challenges pore High Commissioner to Malaysia The eighth plenary session was on Is were “providing education, jobs, and former Secretary-General of Japan Back? The session was chaired welfare, power, water and many other ASEAN; Mr. Hitoshi Tanaka, Chairman by Professor Dr. David A. Welch, CIGI services to its population” while exter- of the JRI Institute for International Chair of Global Security, Balsillie nal challenges included problems with Strategy and former Deputy Minister Institute of International Affairs of its immediate neighbours such as for Foreign Affairs of Japan; and H.E. University of Waterloo, Canada; and Pakistan, challenge posed by a David Taylor, New Zealand Ambassa- the speakers were H.E. Ambassador fast-rising China, and terrorist attacks. dor to Indonesia and ASEAN. This Yoshiji Nogami, President of the Japan Regarding external challenges, it was session discussed issues on econom- Institute of International Affairs (JIIA) said that India lacks the means to ic integration, regulatory coherence, and former Vice-Minister of Foreign credibly deter and compel potential corruption, development divide and Affairs of Japan; Professor Dr. Richard adversaries and that this weakness the need to narrow it, ASEAN regional J. Samuels, Ford International Profes- has obstructed its ability to act as an identity, the role of media, Timor Leste sor of Political Science and Director, aspiring great power. Thus, it was issues, managing ASEAN’s external Centre for International Studies, suggested that a shift towards a more relations as well as dispute manage- Massachusetts Institute of Technology credible posture, for example to ment and resolution. It was noted that (MIT), USA; and Prof. Dr. T.J. Pempel, strengthen its hard power, is needed the challenge will always be issues of Jack M. Forcey Professor of Political should India is to address its external sovereignty, trust and national interest Science, Department of Political security challenges, especially that assessments. Thus, ASEAN member Science of University of California, posed by China. states need to find ways to build confi- Berkeley, USA. This session was dence and achieve progress for their essentially about the face of contem- The last plenary session saw discus- overall benefit. porary and future Japan after Abe’s sions of the Future of Thai Politics. government took office. The discus- This very timely session was important The seventh plenary session was sions focused on Abenomics; Japan’s as it brought to public eye the ongoing chaired by Associate Professor Dr. position in the Asia-Pacific region; developments in Thailand which Mely Caballero Anthony, Head of Prime Minister Abe’s promises during would affect its future and the region. Centre for Non-Traditional Security the LDP presidential election cam- Some common fallacies of the Thai Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of paign in 2012 such as revising the polity such as “all coups have an anti‐- International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Constitution, visiting the Yasukuni democratic or anti‐civilian intent, and Technological University of Singapore Shrine and revisiting the historical are staged for the coup leaders and former Director of External Rela- record that had justified the Kono (military forces) to seize power as an tions of ASEAN Secretariat. The statement apologizing for Japan’s end in itself” and “Thais who favour speakers were Professor Emeritus Dr. military enslavement of the “comfort democracy, social peace and the rule Carlyle A. Thayer from School of women”; “Abepolitics”; China-Japan of law oppose all coups” were raised. Humanities and Social Sciences of relations; and Japan-South Korea The participants were also informed of University of New South Wales (Can- relations. the coup actions for “peace and berra) and the Australian Defence order” which included curfew; deten- Force Academy (ADFA); Dr. Vijay The ninth plenary session, namely the tion of key figures in politics; closure of Sakhuja, Director of Research of Dynamics of India’s Rise: National broadcast news agencies; and Indian Council of World Affairs (ICWA), Imperatives and International Aspira- suspension of the Constitution, parlia- India; and Ms. Youna Lyons, Senior tions, was chaired by Tan Sri Dr. Mohd ment and Senate; as well as Research Fellow of Centre for Interna- Munir Abdul Majid, Chairman of Bank post-coup developments such as tional Law, National University of Muamalat Malaysia, Board Member of curfew relaxed and later lifted, the DIPLOMATIC VOICE 27