Sebuah paper yang mengkritisi artikel tentang ASEM.

1. PAPER CRITICAL REVIEW
DOES ASEM MATTER ?
by
Faisal Nurdin Idris
Luqman Pradityo
2009330174/ A
FAKULTAS ILMU SOSIAL DAN ILMU POLITIK
UNIVERSITAS KATOLIK PARAHYANGAN
BANDUNG
2010

2. Faisal Nurdin Idris, a lecturer from Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University in
Jakarta, is outstandingly eminent to write an article published on The Jakarta Post and
some international newspaper. He suggested some argumentation in his article, “Does
ASEM Matter?” (2010). He is preeminent as an analyzer the relationship between
European Union and Indonesia. Currently, he is visiting fellow at the Indonesia Young
Leaders Program, Leiden University.
Based on the assertion in his article, Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) is a forum for
dialogue between Europe and Asia. Since formed in 1996, ASEM has become the main
multilateral channel to communicate between Asia and Europe, to increase interaction
and mutual understanding. In his article, authors are still doubtful that ASEM can build
strategic alliances between Asia and Europe. He said “How could such a forum build a
strategic alliance between Asian and Europe?” (p.1). I had assumed that the reason author
said that, maybe he was pessimistic about the future of ASEM, as we know Asia and
Europe have their own domestic challenges and this problem will affect performance of
ASEM itself.
According to Faisal Nurdin Idris’s article Does ASEM matter? In particular, the
author explore about cooperation, he is mentioned that in terms of economic cooperation,
ASEM has done many thing, one of them is that they have emphasized issues such as
economic development through trade liberalization. To support this idea, the authors
present a number of case studies, In 2009, China, Japan, South Korea and India were
ASEM’s major Asian trading partners, accounting for 12.9 percent, 4.0 percent, 2.3
percent, and 2.3 percent of the EU’s trade respectively. In the opinion of Jurgen Ruland,
cooperation between countries is fundamental to be done, as we all know that the global
challenges that happen lately very erratic, thus cooperation between countries is needed
to confront this global challenge.
International Politics is a discussion of a state or political issues in the
international community, in the narrower sense is to focus on diplomacy and relations
between countries. (Banyu Perwita and Yanyan Mochamad 2006, p.40) They admit that
to avoid shifting relationships that result in loss of the ways to open channels of
cooperation and development, they need for strong international political.

3. Faris Nurdin Idris therefore suggest that dynamic increase in the continent of Asia
and the dynamic reduction in continental Europe have a huge impact on the common
interests of both regions. The main issues on European sides such as unemployment and
economic growth, immigration, and an increasingly graying population. And the main
issues on Asian sides such as economic growth also, yes. economic issues is the major
issues in both side, political issues such as human rights and democrazy. Examples I have
mentioned earlier suggests that ASEM has many obstacles to be united. Indeed, ASEM is
only meeting, not an cooperation like the European Union or ASEAN, but ASEM has
done many things, many people who have felt the benefits of cooperation and dialogue
between Asia and Europe, for example is ASEM unites non-governmental stakeholders,
such as legislators, businessmen and civil society. Civil society groups, parliamentarians
and businessmen met in the Asia-Europe Peoples Forum (AEPF), Asia-Europe
Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP) and the Asia-Europe Business Forum (AEBF), held
every two years to coincide with the ASEM Summit.1
And the other example is ASEM
also connecting people in Europe and Asia through the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF)
based in Singapore, funded by the ASEM partners. ASEF encourage understanding and
cooperation between communities in Asia and Europe through cultural exchange,
intellectual and people. Efforts to reach out to civil society and the general public
conducted by the ASEF dialogues complement the official ASEM and ASEM Info Board
on the internet which is managed by the ASEF to provide transparency regarding ASEM
program.2
Another questionable aspect of this article is, he said that not all ASEM partners
have the same level of commitment, involvement and participation relating to ASEM, I
highly doubt that opinion, why? because, why if it does not have the same level of
commitment, involvement, and participate in ASEM, but ASEM can provide a basis for
dialogue to solve international problems, such as UN reform, weapons of mass
destruction (WMD), terrorism, migration flows and the WTO negotiations.3
1
About ASEM - Asia-Europe Meeting will discuss global challenges, 2010,
http://ec.europa.eu/delegations/indonesia/documents/press_corner/20100521_02_id.pdf
(viewed: 16 October 2010.
2
Ibid.
3
Ibid.

4. And what about the role of Indonesia in ASEM ? Actually, that there is very little
advantage for Indonesia with ASEM. Indonesia does not even know what it needs from
the ASEM relationship. Indonesia cannot even define its interest and what it wants to
represent in ASEM. Thailand’s and Malaysia’s interests seem to be represented more in
ASEM. Thus, what must be done at the moment is to formulize Indonesia’s policies and
interests and then put them forward in meetings like ASEM. Perhaps this is because,
Indonesia is still shackled by the “dutch disease”.
The conclusion of an article written by Faisal Nurdin Idris is, no doubt Asia has
less leverage than Europe. Within Asia, Indonesia has less leverage when compared with
Singapore and Malaysia. Therefore, Indonesia must construct a comprehensive foreign
policy. First, Indonesia has to set a limited, real and viable target that is relevant and
compliant with its conditions. Second, Indonesia could use economic and social issues to
catch the attention of the EU, for instance in natural resources exploitation. Third,
cultural and education issues are important for expanding cooperation between Asia and
Europe. Fourth, Indonesia and other Asian countries’ missions and visions of the idea of
regional cooperation must be revitalized.
And in essence is that I somewhat disagree with the opinion of the author, he is
too pessimistic about the ASEM, because in my opinion, the ASEM meeting is not a
waste, because in facing global challenges such as financial and economic crisis, climate
change, poverty and conflict, ASEM partners have committed to work together to achieve
multilateral solutions and cooperative. New developments in the international arena have
shown that in this fast-changing world, the ability to perform rapid and coherent response
is essential, which requires intense dialogue and increased cooperation among the main
partners.
Despite these criticisms, Faisal Nurdin Idris’s article still has some value and we
need to judge it in terms of the authors' purpose in writing it. It is not intended to be a
heated debate, but is intended mainly for how we as colleger see things from two sides,
pro and cons.