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Ji Guoxing
To cite this article: Ji Guoxing (1987) Asean countries in political and economic perspectives,
Asian Affairs, 18:2, 157-166, DOI: 10.1080/03068378708730264
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ASEAN COUNTRIES IN POLITICAL
AND ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVES
JI GUOXING
The author is a Senior Fellow at the Shanghai Institute for International
Studies, People's Republic of China. He worked as Research Associate at
the Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley, from
July 1985 to September 1986. This paper was written for the second joint
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conference between these two Institutes, which was held at Berkeley 15-18
September 1986.
The third cause for the recession is that the slump of world oil price
since early 1986 has immeasurably reduced foreign exchange earnings by
ASEAN oil-producing countries. Seventy per cent of Indonesia's export
revenue comes from oil and natural gas; twenty per cent of Malaysia's
government revenue comes from oil export; and Brunei depends heavily
on oil as well. Singapore, though without oil resources, ranks third in
world oil refining, and its petrochemical industry has been harmed.
Economic Prospects
In the face of economic recession in ASEAN countries, there are
roughly three different perceptions of ASEAN's economic prospects over
the next few years. First, in view of the quick recovery of the US and
Japanese economies and of ASEAN's strong capability for surmounting
difficulties, their economies may enter into another period of prosperity in
the next few years, and be restored to the economic development level of
the prosperous years. This is an optimistic perspective. Second, because
the US and Japanese economies will find it difficult to rise up again, and
ASEAN's difficulties at this time are unusual, ASEAN's prosperous times
are gone once and for all. This is a pessimistic perspective. The third
perspective is that the US and Japanese economies will recover to a
certain extent, and that the ASEAN countries will overcome their diffi-
culties to a certain degree, maintain a certain economic growth, and
remain one of the dynamic areas in the world. This middle ground
between optimism and pessimism, seems to adhere more closely to the
facts and to be more realistic.
To estimate ASEAN economic prospects, one must first have an
appropriate appraisal of developed economies, especially that of the US.
The western capitalist economy has now been in the stage of long-wave
recession, neither able to resurge nor recess continuously, but making an
undulating advance. Both recessions and resurgences are on a small scale,
for short periods, and with shortened cyclicity. Western capitalism has
entered into a long-wave recession since the economic crisis of 1973, and
might not get out of it until the end of this century. The general trend is
low growth, with annual GNP growth around 3%. The US is projected to
reach 3%, but not below 2%. Japan might reach 4%. Although the US
policies of high exchange and high interest rates two years ago attracted
foreign capital and stimulated economic development (the growth rate in
160 ASEAN COUNTRIES IN PERSPECTIVES
1984 was 6-6%), it has also made itself a net debtor nation, with a foreign
debt of $1,000 billion. The heavy debt caused by high exchange and high
interest rates have seriously affected the US economy. It would be difficult
for the US to have a 1984-type growth within the next few years. Export-
oriented ASEAN economies mainly dependent on the US market will find
it hard to benefit from the US.
Second, one must have an appropriate appraisal of the difficulties
confronting ASEAN at this time. The difficulties, though not
insurmountable, can not be easily overcome within a short time. All
ASEAN countries are in economic transition, and are making adjust-
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ments. But one needs to see whether they can undergo the transition
smoothly.
As in the case of Singapore, besides dependence on foreign countries,
policy errors are partial reasons. Singapore has pursued policies of high
wage, high tax and high cost in an attempt to eliminate labour-intensive
industries. The wage bill increased more than 10% a year between 1979
and 1984 when annual productivity gains averaged 4-6%,7 i.e. wages
increased at more than twice the productivity rate, resulting in high-cost
products and incompetence in comparison with South Korea, Taiwan,
Hong Kong, and other areas. Moreover, since 1979 in order to promote
mechanization, automation, and computerization, Singapore has begun
" the Second Industrial Revolution " to develop technology-intensive and
knowledge-intensive industries in an effort to become the high tech centre
in Southeast Asia and to provide service to the world high tech develop-
ments. But because its scientific and research institutions are lacking.in
ability to make a big breakthrough in high tech, and because the world
high tech industry is in a depressed state for the time being, Singapore has
not been able to hold its ground in high tech markets while it has yielded
its original low-cost markets to South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
This concept, though good, has been put into practice at a too rapid pace.
Now Singapore is adopting emergency measures to reduce wages, taxes,
and production costs, and to encourage private investment. The measures
stipulate a wage freeze for two years, and a wage cut in the third year if
there are no improvements; a reduction in personal income taxes, lower-
ing the maximum rate on a graduated scale from 40% to 33%; and an
increase of property-tax rebate of 50% of tax payable from the current
30%. In the short term, these measures may help, but are unlikely to be
enough for another era of prosperity. As to the development of high tech,
the Singaporean authorities still regard it as "the key to future
prosperity". Although the depression in the US electronics industry is
temporary, automation is being developed in many countries, the demand
for computers is far from being saturated, and microelectronics is prom-
ising, it is difficult for Singapore successfully to occupy the high tech
market. The economic transition in Singapore is taking place at a time of
great world economic uncertainty. If the transition takes longer than
expected, it is hard to expect Singapore's economy to achieve bigger
growth figures over the next few years.
ASEAN COUNTRIES IN PERSPECTIVES 161
In other ASEAN countries, economic structural problems are con-
spicuous. With weak economic bases, they depend on exports of primary
products, and on exports of textile and electronics products as well. A
comparatively long period is needed to change this situation. Now they
stress the improvement of primary product processing, innovations in the
manufacturing industry, and multiple economic development. Making use
of local resources, their rubber, food, metallurgical and petrochemical
industries will be greatly expanded. Malaysia is putting emphasis on the
manufacturing industry, whose output share is expected to increase from
today's 19-1% to 20-5% in 1990 to make commodity manufactures first in
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export, with oil, gas, and agricultural produce receding to second and
third. Thailand is developing its eastern areas to set up many heavy and
basic industrial projects, and expanding such consumer goods industries
as paper-making, fertilizer, refinery, rubber, cement and agricultural
machinery to serve domestic markets. Indonesia plans to develop new
industries such as shipbuilding, electronics, and aircraft assembly besides
the industries mainly using local materials. With respect to measures, they
all stress the utilization of domestic private capital. Malaysia has pro-
claimed a lessening of state intervention and control of economic activities
so as to "liberalize" financial activities, and Indonesia has decided to
loosen financial control and to promote the development of private
economy. Moreover, more openness to foreign investment is indicated.
The Malaysian government intends further to woo foreign investors, dras-
tically cutting back 30% restrictions on foreign equity ownership that
were intended to increase bumiputra holdings. The ASEAN countries
have adjusted their economic targets as well. Malaysian. Prime Minister
Mahathir Mohamad announced a sobering four-year blueprint for
Malaysian development (the Fifth Plan) that forsees slower growth and
estimates the economy expanding at only 3% a year.8 With oil revenues
based on estimates of S25 per barrel in 1986, without expecting a slump of
below $15 a barrel, Indonesia has had to slash its budgets, cutting billions
of dollars from projects.
Therefore, within the next 3-5 years, under the conditions of long-term
recession facing the developed economies, it is impossible for the ASEAN
countries, despite their arduous efforts, to regain the growth rate of 1960s
and 1970s (annual increases in GNP between 6-5-7.5%, and sometimes
over 8%), and to bring forth "another prosperity"; but because of their
vitality and adaptability, they are estimated not to decline to the 2-3%
low growth rate. The probability is the maintenance of a medium growth
rate between 3-5%, and an undulate advance along with the world
economy.
Political Prospects
ASEAN countries are now in political transition. There are different
perspectives as well in their political future. The optimistic perspective is
162 ASEAN COUNTRIES IN PERSPECTIVES
that the stability of ASEAN countries, which has lasted for more than
twenty years, will continue to exist, and that no turmoil will take place.
People of this view underestimate the factors of instability. The pessimistic
perspective is that unstable domestic factors in ASEAN countries are
increasing, and that the period of political stability has gone. People with
this view lack confidence particularly in Corazon Aquino's new govern-
ment in the Philippines, regarding it as an " uncertainty ". The third per-
spective calls for a comprehensive analysis of the situation, taking into
consideration both the stabilizing forces and existing unstable factors -
both optimistic and pessimistic - so as to strive for a better future and
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lost further seats due to the voters' anger over their "terror tactics".
Mahathir at last preferred not to embroil the federal government in the
state's affairs. The state of Sarawak has also grown restless of late. The
leadership of chief minister Taib Mahmood has been challenged by those
who broke away from the ruling PBB.
In Thailand, new centres of power are emerging in addition to the
army, the palace and the bureaucracy. Most of them belong to the middle
class and use the slogan " public political participation ". The parliamen-
tary by-election in 1985 saw voter turnouts that were exceptionally low,
because "the public had lost faith in and enthusiasm for the existing
political parties".*2 In the contest for the governorship of Bangkok in
1985, Maj. Gen. Chamlong won as an independent candidate while the
other candidates of political parties all failed as a result of the public's
negative perceptions of existing parties and public criticism of vote-
buying. Following defeat in the by-election, Kukrit Pramoj resigned as
leader of the Social Action Party, and Siddhi Savetsila, deputy leader of
the party, took over as caretaker " to improve the party's deteriorating
public support". In the general election of 27 July, 1986, 16 political
parties fielding 3,800 candidates participated, with the result that not a
single party won more than half the seats, and none could form an inde-
pendent cabinet. The seven parties which combined to constitute the
majority have agreed to form a coalition government with Prem Tinsula-
nond as prime minister.
With the approach of Indonesia's general election in 1987, the political
parties bill was passed in February 1985, requiring that all political parties
adopt Pancasila13 as their sole principle and that parties can differ only in
their programmes, not in their principles. This means the non-
governmental factions, the United Development Party and Indonesian
Democratic Party, will lose their religious identities and will be unable to
form opposition forces. Muslim politicians have been resisting it most
strongly. The situation in Indonesia is not very stable. Bombings and
incendiary attacks have often occurred. Several incidents took place in
1985, such as the destruction by fire of the Metro shopping centre in
Jakarta's Chinatown, the blaze gutting the headquarters of Radio Repub-
lik Indonesia, and the engulfing in flames of 60 buildings in a Jakarta
commercial district. As a result many radical Islamic leaders were put on
164 ASEAN COUNTRIES IN PERSPECTIVES
trial. To warn off subversive opposition after the Bank Central Asia bom-
bings, the government tried many prominent Islamic and retired military
figures for alleged links.
In Brunei, there have been increased demands for a more representa-
tive government and for concessions by the monarchy. The monarchy is
apprehensive of a recurrence of another 1962-style revolt by the Party
Raakyat Brunei, but has given in under pressure and relaxed the ban on
political parties. In 1985 it approved the formation of the Brunei National
Democratic Party (BNDP), hoping that the BNDP would strike a balance
between the demands of an absolute monarchy and total democracy. The
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shows that countries with different social systems can coexist well if they
observe the five principles; and that countries with the same social system
can come into confrontation and even serious conflicts if they do not
observe the five principles. In view of this, it makes no sense to be involved
in changing the social system of another country. So it is groundless to
regard socialist China as a " long-term " threat to ASEAN countries.
Economically speaking, China's four modernizations might to a
certain extent bring about competition with ASEAN countries in respect
of export and foreign investment, but on the other hand they will increas-
ingly complement the trade in commodities with ASEAN countries, with
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each supplying what the other needs. China is an enormous market, and
its market capacity will grow with progress in four modernizations and
with the rise of the people's purchasing power, thus offering vast fields for
its trade with other countries. Economic complementation will even
surpass economic competition. Besides, competition itself will spur one to
produce better products, and bring about advance and development. No
matter whether China participates or not, international competition is an
objective existence. China's participation only adds one more competitive
partner.
There are great potentialities for the development of Sino-ASEAN
relations. The prospects for the bilateral political and economic coopera-
tion are good. But because of the time needed to dispel misunderstanding
and to establish mutual trust, the development of relations will be gradual
and step-by-step. Now China and Malaysia have agreed to expand further
direct trade and enlarge the volume of trade, and China and Indonesia
have begun to engage in direct trade. The general tendency is fine. China
wishes to establish stable and durable friendly cooperation with ASEAN
countries as soon as possible.
NOTES:
1. The Asian Wall Street Journal, Weekly, March 10,1986, p. 4.
2. Asian Survey, Vol. XXVI, No. 2, Feb. 1986, p. 151.
3. Ibid. 2, p. 135, 136.
4. The Asian Wall Street Journal, Weekly, March 17, 1986, p. 11.
5. Ibid. 4, January 6, 1986, p. 12.
6. Asian Survey, Vol. XXVI, No. 2, Feb. 1986, p. 164.
7. South, Oct. 1985, p. 156.
8. The Asian Wall Street Journal, Weekly, March 31, 1986, p. 18.
9. Asian Survey, Vol. XXVI, No. 2, Feb. 1986, p. 158.
10. Far Eastern Economic Review, May 29, 1986, p. 16.
11. Ibid. 10, p. 15.
12. Asian Survey, Vol. XXVI, No. 2, Feb. 1986, p. 176.
13. The five principles of Pancasila are: belief in one god, humanitarianism, national
unity, democracy, and social justice.
14. The five principles of peaceful coexistence are: mutual respect for each other's terri-
torial sovereignty and integrity, non aggression, non interference in each other's internal
affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence.