Guido Benny

The Understanding of the Idealization and Conceptualization of ASEAN Community: Comparative Study between Malaysia and Indonesia

The Association of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) has embarked upon an ambitious plan; to create an ASEAN Community by 2015. Based on the 2003 ASEAN Head of States declaration, the region envisages a formal community of Southeast Asian states with a government-led initiatives thorough socio-cultural integration and formal rules. Critics argue that the proposed formation of formal ASEAN community has been very much influenced by the development in the European Union hence forgetting the fact that idealization and conceptualization of regional community in Southeast Asia are still in an infant stage. The conceptualization and process of community building does not only involve states but also proper conceptual understanding and active involvement of population and other regional non-state actors. In other words, there must be a sense of belongings to the individual states population in the area on the idea of regional community, for it to be successfully implemented. This article, therefore, analyzes to what extent people in ASEAN countries understand and responses to the idea and concept of ASEAN community. Malaysia and Indonesia are chosen as a case study since both countries share to some extent common composition of culture, religion and social identifications. The analysis is based on a quantitative survey through structured questionnaires. Two major urban areas in both countries, namely Jakarta and Surabaya metropolitan areas in Indonesia, and Kuala Lumpur and Penang areas in Malaysia were selected while undertaking the survey. The results show no significant differences between the Malaysians and Indonesians in their understanding of ASEAN community idea. Generally, people in Malaysia and Indonesia supported the idea of the ASEAN community. They could see more benefits waiting for their country. They even foresee a European style of economic, social and political integration although they still disagreed on the substantive arrangements of the idea.