Goh calls for rejuvenation of ASEAN

By Amit Baruah

SINGAPORE, AUG. 27. Singapore played host to two Presidents and one Prime Minister last week. In a sign of growing contacts in the region, the Thai Prime Minister, Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra, the Philippine President, Ms. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and the Indonesian President, Ms. Megawati Sukarnoputri, were here for talks with Singapore's leadership. All three leaders have taken office this year - Ms. Megawati, in fact, took over as President only last month.

Speaking at a banquet he hosted for Ms. Megawati last night, the Singapore Prime Minister, Mr. Goh Chok Tong, noted her ``long, winding and rocky'' road to the presidency. ``Your election as President has brought new hope to the people of Indonesia and to ASEAN. Your commitment to the national unity of Indonesia, its Constitution and the rule of law, and your stand against KKN (corruption, collusion and nepotism), will lay a strong foundation for building your new Indonesia...'' he said.

``Indeed, Indonesia has already begun to regain domestic and international confidence. Your... Cabinet has won praise at home and abroad...'' Mr. Goh noted.

Mr Goh, however, noted that the challenges for Ms. Megawati were daunting. ``You have inherited an Indonesia with immense problems. And as you said in your address to the House of People's Representatives on August 16, the crises cannot be resolved all at one go. It will take time, commitment and sacrifice...''

He noted that Ms. Megawati's decision to visit the Association of South-East Asian Nation capitals in her first trip overseas reaffirmed Indonesia's commitment to ASEAN. ``At a time when the resilience of the grouping is being tested, your visit and that of two other new ASEAN leaders to Singapore in the same week, are indications that the stars in the ASEAN constellation are now in alignment again.

``ASEAN has been drifting since the Asian financial crisis. We need to consolidate and reinvigorate ASEAN. Our individual countries will do better with a cohesive, strong and vibrant ASEAN. A strong ASEAN helps us to better compete against bigger economies and other regional groupings, and gives us more influence internationally,'' Mr. Goh stated.

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Section  : International
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