Public Opinion of Regional Cooperation and the Formation of the Asean Community: a Comparative Study in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore
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See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305992732 PUBLIC OPINION OF REGIONAL COOPERATION AND THE FORMATION OF THE ASEAN COMMUNITY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY IN MALAYSIA, INDONESIA AND SINGAPORE Thesis · July 2012 DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.1.3671.3205 CITATIONS READS 0 270 1 author: Guido Benny Taylor's University 45 PUBLICATIONS 173 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Reflexive Stocktaking: IR Research and Teaching Trends in Southeast Asia View project Malaysian response and attitude toward Daesh/IS View project All content following this page was uploaded by Guido Benny on 08 August 2016. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. PUBLIC OPINION OF REGIONAL COOPERATION AND THE FORMATION OF THE ASEAN COMMUNITY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY IN MALAYSIA, INDONESIA AND SINGAPORE GUIDO BENNY THESIS SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES UNIVERSITI KEBANGSAAN MALAYSIA BANGI 2012 PENDAPAT AWAM MENGENAI KERJASAMA SERANTAU DAN PENUBUHAN KOMUNITI ASEAN: KAJIAN PERBANDINGAN DI MALAYSIA, INDONESIA DAN SINGAPURA GUIDO BENNY THESIS YANG DIKEMUKAKAN UNTUK MEMPEROLEH IJAZAH DOKTOR FALSAFAH FAKULTI SAINS SOSIAL DAN KEMANUSIAAN UNIVERSITI KEBANGSAAN MALAYSIA BANGI 2012 11 DECLARATION I hereby declare that the work in this dissertation is my own except for quotations and summaries which have been duly acknowledged. 13 December 2012 GUIDO BENNY P48998 111 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Such a conducive community enable me to complete my doctoral dissertation. Many people advised, supported, and encourage me throughout the process of writing. First of all, I had an amazing dissertation committee, which include Prof. Dr. Mohd. Kamarulnizam bin Abdullah, Dr. Ravichandran K. Dhaksinamoorthy and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohamed Anwar Omar Din who provided me with guidance, assistance, and support throughout the entire process of completing this research. I would like to thank to my reader Mr. Belaetham K. for his supports. My deep appreciation is also bestowed to Prof. Dr. Vedi Hadiz from Murdoch University as my external examiner and Associate Prof. Dr. Kuik Cheng-Chwee as my internal examiner. Special thank is owed to Associate Professor Dr. Mohamed Anwar Omar Din that his decision to select me to be his Graduate Research Assistant made it possible to finance my study and research. I also appreciate the scholarship for partially paying tuition fee from the Department of Administrative Science, University of Indonesia. I would like to thank to the professors lecturers and staffs at the School of History, Politics and Strategy Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (National University of Malaysia): Profesor Dr. Nordin Hussin, Assoc. Prof. Zarina Othman, Assoc. Prof.Ruhanas Harun, Prof. Dr. K. S. Nathan, Dr. Arujunan Narayanan, and Dr. Kuik Cheng Chwee. I would like to thank to the support staff Encik Ishak Bin Selamat. I would like to thank all of my seniors and colleagues at the University of Indonesia, Prof. Dr. Bambang Shergi Laksmono, MSc., Dr. Roy Valiant Salomo, Prof. Dr. Chandra Wijaya, Prof. Dr. Martani Huseini, Prof. Dr. Ferdinand D. Saragih, Prof. Dr. Masliana B. Sitepu, Dr. Bernardus Y. Nugroho, Fibria Indriati, Milla Setyowati, Retno Kusumastuti, Achmad Fauzi, M. Azis Moeslim, and Radityo Kusumo Santoso. I would like to thank the respondents and interview participants who took time out of their busy schedule to discuss with me and fill the questionnaires. In Indonesia, they are students, staffs, or alumni from Universitas Indonesia Jakarta, Universitas Sumatera Utara Medan, Universitas Tanjungpura Pontianak, Universitas Hasanuddin Makassar, Universitas Airlangga Surabaya, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh November Surabaya. In Malaysia, they are from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, University of Malaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia Penang, Universiti Teknikal Melaka, Universiti Teknologi Mara Melaka, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Johor Bahru, and Universiti Malaysia Sabah, and Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS). In Singapore, they are from National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University, and Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS), National Institute of Education, Management Development Institute of Singapore, SIM University, Temasek Polytechnic and Republic Polytechnic. Finally, I dedicate this dissertation to my late father Joseph Setyawan Sunardi, my mother Juliana Dermawati Sukardi, my wife Linyanty Simon, my daughter Bianca Esther Sunardi, and the family of my brother Romanus Kristiawan. I will be forever indebted to them all for their love, patience, and forgiveness for the countless hours spent away to complete this journey. 10 ABSTRACT The study examines public opinions on the formation of ASEAN Community in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. It argues that the Southeast Asian regionalism initiatives need to be more attentive to public opinions and give more rooms for public involvements as it may become the agents influential for the social-construction of ASEAN Community. This quantitative study is guided by six objectives; firstly, to discuss and analyze public knowledge, perceptions and awareness on ASEAN Community. Secondly, the study examines the public attitudes, opinions, and aspiration towards the formation of ASEAN Community. Thirdly, the study analyses the extent of nationalism sentiments, cultural identities and perceptions on regional identities. Fourthly, the study examines the perceived obstacles for the formation of this regional integration. Fifthly, the study discusses the perceived impacts of ASEAN Community on national sovereignty, national security and national identities. Finally, the study discusses the impact of public opinion on the pace and direction of ASEAN Community building. Primary sources of research data derived from the surveys conducted in eleven cities in these three countries. The study reveals several findings; firstly, the respondents indicated significant awareness about ASEAN, they considered it relevant and important to their country and the region. However, they lacked the awareness regarding the ASEAN Community. Secondly, the respondents displayed positive attitudes and support for the ASEAN Community process, but their aspirations appeared to be different from the European regionalism. Thirdly, there were strong nationalism sentiments and national identities - however, their regional identities were weak. Fourthly, respondents indicated strong agreement on the ten proposed obstacles for establishing ASEAN Community. Fifthly, most of the respondents perceived that the formation of ASEAN Community would not affect the national sovereignty, security and identities of their countries respectively. Several implications can be inferred from the study; firstly, national governments should put extra efforts to prepare the public by intensively socializing the idea of regional integration. Secondly, regular public opinion surveys and specific strategies need to be revealed and influence the true aspiration and attitudes of the public in the region. Thirdly, national governments should address the issue of nationalism sentiments and formulate specific measures to neutralize excessive nationalism. Fourthly, the ASEAN values should be specified to address the question of regional identities. Fifthly, public's perceived obstacles should be given sufficient attention and be solved. Sixthly, to integrate further, the region needs several transfer of sovereignty from the national governments to the supra-national institution; otherwise, ASEAN will ever be a casual regional cooperation in terms of political and socio-cultural community. Seventhly, perception that threats would come from neighbouring countries need to be neutralized by effective strategies. Finally, the study suggests that future studies to be conducted in ten ASEAN countries by using different types of questions, sampling procedures, and methods of analysis. Future studies can also be conducted by involving other variables of the public opinion on regionalization, regionalism or regional security. 0 ABSTRAK Kajian ini menganalisis pendapat awam di Malaysia, Indonesia dan Singapura mengenai penubuhan Komuniti ASEAN. Kajian berpendapat bahawa inisiatif regionalisme di Asia Tenggara perlu memberikan lebih ruang bagi pendapat dan penglibatan orang awam kerana ia boleh menjadi agensi yang berpengaruh bagi konstruksi sosial pada Komuniti ASEAN. Terdapat enam objektif kajian kuantitatif ini. Pertama, menganalisis pengetahuan masyarakat, persepsi pencapaian dan kesedaran mengenai ASEAN. Kedua, menganalisis sikap, pendapat dan aspirasi masyarakat terhadap Komuniti ASEAN. Ketiga, menganalisis nasionalisme, identiti kebangsaan dan identiti serantau. Keempat, mengkaji persepsi berkenaan halangan kepada integrasi serantau. Kelima, kajian ini membincangkan persepsi mengenai impak penubuhan Komuniti ASEAN pada kedaulatan, keselamatan dan identiti kebangsaan. Akhirnya, mengkaji impak daripada pendapat awam terhadap kemajuan dan arah konstruksi Komuniti ASEAN.Sumber utama kajian adalah daripada kaji selidik pendapat awam yang dijalankan di sebelas bandaraya. Kajian in menghasilkan beberapa rumusan; pertamanya, responden telah menunjukkan kesedaran yang sangat tinggi mengenai ASEAN, dan menganggap institusi serantau ini sebagai penting dan relevan. Walau bagaimanapun, kesedaran mereka