Strong cooperation is necessary in this era of transparency, Jokowi told delegates at the plenary session of the 28th ASEAN summit meeting in the Laotian capital city of Vientiane.
He stressed the importance of unity and centrality of ASEAN.
He said ASEAN has been proud with its success in maintaining stability in this region, but lately ASEAN has seen the regional dynamism that needs addressing by its member countries.
"We could not allow instability in areas around us. We must not allow big powers to dictate and determine out fate and disrupt stability in our region," the president said.
Jokowi said the world has high hope for ASEAN which will commemorate its 50th anniversary next year.
As a regional grouping with a total population of more than 600 million ASEAN needs stronger unity and centrality.
"Without unity and centrality ASEAN will lose its role as an important contributor to regional stability and security," he said.
Jokowi also noted ASEAN performance in economy saying the regional grouping has a success story in economy.
"ASEAN GDP in the past two consecutive years has grown 4.7 percent or above the world average, exceeding those of European Union and the United States," he said.
He said there are at least three aspects that need serious addressing by ASEAN to maintain its cohesiveness.
"First, ASEAN should make certain that economic cooperation would equally benefit all member countries and eventually would narrow the regional economic gap.
"Second, ASEAN should open access of small and medium enterprises to market, source of funds and technology, otherwise it would be difficult for ASEAN to sustain itself in the future.
"Third, ASEAN government should have greater concern for the interest of its people," Jokowi said.
Jokowi also called for protection of ASEAN migrant workers, saying, "ASEAN has to make certain that the rights of workers and their families are well protected."
Indonesia has hundreds of thousands of migrant workers in Malaysia, working mainly in plantation sector in that country.
After attending the plenary session of the ASEAN summit meeting, the heads of state and governments witnessed the signing of The ASEAN Declaration on One ASEAN, One Response: ASEAN Responding to Disasters as One in The Region and Outside The Region and the launch of Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 (MPAC 2025) dan Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Work Plan III (IAI Work Plan III).(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
