Asean's 'increasingly incoherent' role and relevance as a regional organisation came into sharp focus at a recent panel discussion in Kuala Lumpur organised by the Malaysian Association for American Studies (Maas) in conjunction with its 20th anniversary.

At the discussion themed - 'US-Asean Political, Economic, and Security Relations Post Sept 11' on Monday, panelist Dr Abdul Razak Baginda said it seemed clear that Asean was less coherent today than in the past.

According to the Malaysian Strategic Research Centre director, some observers have argued that Asean faced its biggest challenge to remain united in substance.

"While the various mechanisms have continued to function, they have tended to become a matter of form, rather than of relevance and importance to its members," he told the 150-odd participants.

"For instance, the move towards bilateral Free Trade Agreements (FTA) has somewhat undermined the Asean Free Trade Agreement (Afta) as some states appear to have reached the same conclusion as Singapore," he added.

Bandwagaon effect

He said Singapore undertook such measures, first with Japan and subsequently with the United States.

"This bandwagon effect is perhaps a reflection of the ineffectual outcome and a reality check of the relevance, or irrelevance of Asean," stressed Abdul Razak who is also a member of the World Economic Forum (Davos) Global Leaders for Tomorrow and the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies.

The academic's remark that if he had the chance, he would document the "rise and fall" of Asean was taken to task by several participants who said despite its shortcomings, the body had made an impact in the region.

Meanwhile, history professor and past-president of Maas Dr Pamela Sodhy examined the relationship between the United States and Malaysia at the turn of the 21st century.

According to Washington DC-based professor, closer and more complex ties were forged between the two countries now than previously and this was largely due to the global war on terrorism.

"Increasingly so, the US regards Malaysia as a modern, progressive, and moderate Muslim nation," she said in her paper titled 'US-Malaysian Relations under the Bush Administration: The Political, Economic and Security Aspects'.

"On its part, Malaysia is wary of the world's sole superpower and has opposed its pro-Israel policy, its air-strikes against Afghanistan, and its war against Iraq," she added.

On security issues apart from US military assistance in the form of foreign military sales credit and International Military Education Training programmes and bilateral collaboration on narcotics control, Sodhy said the US Seventh Fleet also provides Malaysia with some protection while Malaysia offers repairs and maintenance facilities to US naval vessels.

Suppressing extremism

In another session, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia's (UKM) head of strategic studies and international programme Dr Mohd Kamarulnizam Abdullah, said on the global level, moderate Muslim states have had the upper hand in suppressing radical religious elements in their societies.

Mohd Kamarulnizam, whose main research area is on political Islam and national security issues, added that governments could presently do this without the fear of being scrutinised by major powers and the Western community.

"At the same time, these moderate Muslim countries have to limit using Islam for political purposes to avoid upsetting their Western allies," he added during the talk themed 'Sept 11, 2001: The Dimensions, Goals and Implications for World Order of the New International Terrorism'.

"These countries have no choice but to work closely with major powers especially the United States for closer cooperation in eliminating those elements of religious extremism in their countries," he said.