Leadership and Youth Bringing Out the Best in People

1. Leadership and YouthBringing Out the Best in People Ambassador Ong Keng Yong Asia Leadership Centre Eminent Leaders Lecture Series The University of Cambodia 7th April 2009

2. Bringing Out the Best in people Different individuals and communities would require different ways of communication and motivation to bring out the best in people. From my practical experience, the following are helpful: • Qualities needed • Be knowledgeable • Know what is ASEAN and how ASEAN is looking to promote its regional identity • Be honest and sincere • Competent, clean and non-corrupt • Trustworthy

3. Bringing Out the Best in people • Be open and transparent • Promote transparency in decision-making processes • Be a team player • Build teamwork and partnership • Be strategic and long-term • Minor issues from day to day will prevail, but must look at the big picture • Foresight and planning • Be composed and committed • Accept the rule of law and foster the growth of civil society

4. Bringing Out the Best in people • Be a leader • Be accountable and honourable • Skills – able leadership • Provide incentives and rewards • Understand capacity of individual and systems • No job is too small or too big • Leadership by example • Good mentoring • Don’t be kind for the wrong reason • A good match-maker Overall, what is needed - discipline, diligence and dedication

5. Looking at the Future of ASEAN • Leadership is key • Have elements of good government but still need to get out of the idea that just because high growth rates have been achieved, significant role and influence can be obtained on the international stage • Need more than just high GDP or positive social economic indicators

6. Looking at the Future of ASEAN • Good governance and leadership Positive elements: • open (transparency in decision-making processes) • accountable (choice/elections) • competent, clean and non-corrupt • accept the rule of law • rules-based (predictability) • free to act, decide, speak (civil liberties/personal freedom) • make every citizen feel a stakeholder ( inclusiveness) • build teamwork and partnership • foster growth of civil society • behave as a responsible global citizen

7. Looking at the Future of ASEAN Structurally, need for: • institutions - permanency and stability • rules and regulations - sustainable and predictable • network - communicate, learn, reach out (connectivity and mobilisation) • policy - stability and context Should not allow the debate on “values” to overshadow other issues we have in dealing with the strategic concerns of a multipolar world.

8. Looking at the Future of ASEAN • Leadership: • not confined to political leaders • at all levels • public sector • private sector • people sector • the younger generation is important • bind and pull together • common identity • common belief • common purpose

9. Looking at the Future of ASEAN • The paradox of globalization is that it limits the role of governments and yet makes good governance more important than ever. • Good governance is not just about opening up the economy and freeing up the dead hand of bureaucracy. • It is also about creating the conditions for sustained development and actively pursuing policies to make life better for all segments of the population.

10. ASEAN • The ASEAN Way is • characterized by: • consensus-based decision-making, • strict principles of non-intervention, • the sanctity of state sovereignty, • has been both criticized and praised by scholars and experts • helps to avoid and control conflicts • reflects a common cultural approach to international security management as embedded in the minds of ASEAN policy makers • ASEAN's ambitious plan to create an ASEAN Economic Community by 2015

11. Importance of the ASEAN Charter • Help reposition ASEAN for 21st century • Framework document to make grouping a more rules-based organization, accountable and transparent • Give ASEAN a formal legal status with a legal personality • Commits members to enhance good governance and the rule of law, protect human rights, and work towards a single market and production base • Strengthen ASEAN ‘s credibility and commitment to ASEAN • Integrate subregions like Mekong, BIMP-EAGA into mainstream

12. Human Rights • Globalisation • Promote economic growth, but much of the growth is unbalanced and unequal • ‘Rights’ consciousness: allows us to look at different perspectives more clearly • Blurring of boundaries • Need to find an appropriate mixture of individualism with continued respect for authority • communities no longer isolated • communal approach changing • result of influence from international values • Identity issue • Groups now assertive in their claims to political and economic rights

13. Human Rights • Tension between economic development, rapid growth and state of governance • Key argument - Assumption that economic/social rights more important than civil/political rights • Asian perspective vs Western perspective and experience • Asia: authoritarian government needed - development first • Successful economic and social development before all other issues • West: sense of human rights developed within its political and historical context • Demands that poor, politically unstable underdeveloped countries guarantee as broad a range of individual freedoms as exists in the developed world

14. Human Rights • ASEAN • Member states share the common understanding of the importance of democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms • ASEAN Charter and its agreements • Terms Of Reference for Human Rights Body (HRB) – drafted by High Level Panel (HLP) of representatives of the 10 member states • During ASEAN Summit in Thailand, foreign ministers and HLP discussed and exchanged views on a wide range of topics

15. AHRB • Part of ongoing regional efforts to help realize a people-centred ASEAN Community by 2015 • Objective: create a viable mechanism that will promote and protect human rights • Help shape and raise human rights standards in ASEAN • Must be credible and practical effective • However given diversity among ASEAN Member States, must be evolutionary

16. Meaning of the Charter to Civil Society • Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)  human rights issues • Currently not enough to secure mass interest/ensure effective human rights protection/safeguard • Terms Of Reference of proposed ASEAN HRB not settled • Information exchange (Info X) or Action platform (AXN)? • Looking for a strong document oriented towards a “democratic and just” society

17. Meaning of the Charter to Civil Society • First step of agreeing to Charter and HRB  a concrete move forward • Commitment of countries given  starting point • Next stage: codify common practices • Followed by how to enhance quality of life  fight poverty, health, ensure adequate education, social justice

18. Meaning of the Charter to Civil Society • Proposal from some academics/scholars • Move on separate levels to broaden awareness, increase education and capacity building for human rights promotion and protection • Process has begun • Significant step forward • Implement what has been agreed • Demonstrate commitment

19. Conclusion • Charter is a manifested outcome of a process • Aim to update every 5 years • System in place has to evolve in tandem alongside changes in domestic and external environment

20. Conclusion • ASEAN can be effective to the extent Member States are able to deliver/are willing to subscribe to the Charter/live up to what they have agreed to do • Cooperation and commitment is crucial • ASEAN Leaders • Pragmatic view of democracy • Ensure rule of law • Striking a balance between the short and long term, and between the individual and the community

21. Conclusion • ASEAN is key to the survival of its Member States in the face of global change – rise of China and India; advance of technology; dangers to the environment • Unless all ten countries work collectively and integrate economically, progress and survival chances of each individual country cannot be assured • Cannot view ASEAN as a good thing to have only during good times • Need to keep it going despite the odds • Should always keep ASEAN’s agenda on track • Youth in ASEAN countries must play their part

22. Thank You