Balancing Security and Growth in ASEAN: Malaysia's Strategic Trade Governance and Regional Perspectives

Purpose – The study aims to confirm a positive relationship between digitalization and economic growth in ASEAN. It seeks to provide insights into the challenges and future directions for ASEAN’s economic growth by examining the impact of digitalization through broadband penetration. Design/Methodology/Approach – This study employs regression analysis using a fixed-effect model with data sourced from World Development Indicators (WDI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), covering the period from 2008 to 2020. Its primary objectives are to offer a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between digital technologies and the economic development of ASEAN, and to identify factors contributing to economic growth in the region. The focus is on Southeast Asian countries, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam Findings – The findings yield compelling evidence in support of the hypothesis, emphasizing the pivotal role of expanding broadband infrastructure in fostering economic growth across ASEAN countries. Furthermore, the study underscores the importance of enhancing broadband infrastructure and highlights the potential impact on the economic development of developing nations. It emphasizes the crucial role played by fixed-broadband, mobile-broadband, and fixedtelephone subscriptions in contributing to the economic growth of ASEAN countries. Research Implications – This study proves a significant positive relationship between digitalization and economic growth in the region. It offers a preliminary understanding of the impact of digitalization on economic growth in ASEAN, laying the groundwork for future research.

I. Introduction and Summary In January 2007 at the Cebu Summit, the Association of Asian Nations (ASEAN) committed to establish the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015, five years earlier than envisaged. This stems from a consensus that there is a need to fashion for Asian firms and individuals larger domestic markets that will allow economies of scale to be harnessed to meet the development objectives of member countries. The AEC represents a response to what might be called the Southeast Asian middle-income country conundrum: modest growth--difficult enough to maintain--that is inadequate to meet political ambitions and needs. Malaysia, for instance, is targeting to be a fully developed economy by 2020, requiring higher growth than recently seen. Other Asian middle- and near middle-income countries (MNMIs) similarly need growth higher than experienced. Although growing faster than the MNMIs, the less developed Asian countries (Cambodia, Laos PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam, or CLMV) start from such a low standard of living that even a sustained continuation of their recent growth would leave many people in poverty. Development prospects in Asia since the 1997 financial crisis have been affected by and will continue to be constrained by an absence of policy certainty, particularly in the areas of investment and trade. Policy certainty is important in the MNMIs where business spending has not recovered from the crisis. It is also critical in the CLMV countries where development prospects are often limited to specific sectors and regions. Considerable efforts can be seen within Asia towards encouraging investment and trade; however, Asian firms and foreign investors alike have thus far failed to respond to the changes to the extent needed to support higher growth rates. The establishment of the AEC, five years earlier than planned, represents an opportunity to dramatically affect investment and trade in the ASEAN economies. The commitment to the AEC, in the Asian political context, could fill a credibility gap by ameliorating policy uncertainty at a significant time, thus providing a tipping point for dramatically expanding trade and investment in Asia. Creating an AEC will demand continued progress on reducing tariff barriers within ASEAN. However, experience within mainland Asia suggests that barriers to trade exist as a result of a lack of trade facilitating infrastructure, particularly transport networks, that can provide for smooth and sure transit at national borders. Supporting trade facilitation can potentially be a powerful stimulant to regional trade creation. II. Economic Growth in ASEAN The ten Asian countries in ASEAN are widely different from each other: ranging from land-locked, poor, rural Lao PDR to the developed island city-state of Singapore. In 2006, the aggregate population was about 566 million growing at 1.8 per cent annually. (1) GDP for the region in 2006 was estimated at $1,059 billion, (2) so per capita GDP was $1,871. But that masked extreme variation from about $513 in Cambodia to roughly $30,000 in Brunei Darussalam and Singapore. With respect to development, they fall into three groupings as shown in Table 1. The wealthy states of Brunei Darussalam and Singapore contrast in terms of per capita GDP and the incidence of poverty with the large MNMIs (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand) and a fortiori with the four poor states (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam, or CLMV). (3) The poorer ASEAN countries are also those moving from command structures to market-based institutions. This paper will focus particularly on the MNMIs and CLMV countries. The different groups offer an important contrast: the MNMIs in recent years have tended to grow a bit slower than the poorer countries. Relatively small differences in growth rates can have an impact over long periods of time. …

Purpose - This study aims to estimate the effects of the Association of South-East Asian Nations Free Trade Area (AFTA) on international trade in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) Design/Methodology/Approach - This study empirically analyzes the effects of AFTA on Lao PDR’s intra-regional trade with ASEAN countries using a gravity model by employing panel data from ten ASEAN countries from 1990 to 2017.
 Findings - This paper finds that joining AFTA positively affects aggregate trade volume and exports of Lao PDR. However, joining AFTA does not positively impact Lao PDR’s imports.
 Research Implications - With a very limited number of studies on the effect of AFTA on Lao PDR, most previous studies examine the effect on Lao PDR using a subset of ASEAN countries. This paper contributes to the literature by being the first to empirically analyze the effect of AFTA on intra-regional trade in Lao PDR with all ten ASEAN member countries. The findings of the study suggest that further extending FTA networks with other countries will promote Lao PDR’s trade and its access to the international market.

This study examines law enforcement mechanisms against the illegal distribution of drug solvents without medical prescription under Law No. 17 of 2023 concerning Health, analyzing the legal framework, enforcement challenges, and policy implications through Decision No. 302/Pid.Sus/2023/PN Cjr. The proliferation of illegal drug sales without medical prescription remains a persistent challenge in Indonesia, driven by factors including public demand for convenient access, cost considerations, and systemic weaknesses in pharmaceutical oversight, creating a critical gap between regulatory provisions and effective law enforcement implementation. Employing a normative legal research approach, this study analyzes positive law provisions, particularly Law No. 17 of 2023 concerning Health and relevant criminal law provisions, to evaluate the legal basis and enforcement mechanisms against unauthorized pharmaceutical distribution. Article 435 of Law No. 17 of 2023 provides a robust legal foundation for prosecuting both individual perpetrators and corporate entities involved in producing or distributing drug solvents without compliance with regulatory requirements. This study finds that Decision No. 302/Pid.Sus/2023/PN Cjr demonstrates the application of the ne bis in idem principle, ensuring defendants are not tried twice for the same criminal act. However, the case reveals significant structural weaknesses in the pharmaceutical regulatory and supervisory systems that continue to undermine effective enforcement. While law enforcement efforts against unauthorized drug distribution have commenced, current mechanisms remain insufficient without comprehensive systemic reform. The judiciary has correctly applied fundamental criminal law principles, yet enforcement success depends on strengthening digital oversight systems, harmonizing cross-sector regulations, and enhancing law enforcement capacity and digital forensics capabilities. This study contributes to legal scholarship by demonstrating the need for an integrated approach combining criminal prosecution, regulatory reform, and institutional capacity building, recommending that policymakers and law enforcement agencies prioritize modernizing pharmaceutical surveillance through digital systems, harmonizing regulations across relevant agencies, and developing specialized law enforcement units equipped with advanced forensic capabilities to effectively combat pharmaceutical crimes.

This type of research is quantitative descriptive. This study looks at the impact of tourism, foreign direct investment, and institutions on economic growth in ASEAN. The scope of this research is 10 ASEAN member countries from 2003-2021. This study uses five independent variables: international tourism receipts, Feign Direct Investment (FDI), the rule of law, government effectiveness, and regulatory quality. The dependent variable is GDP as a proxy for economic growth. The data used is secondary data sourced from the World Bank. The analytical method used is the panel data regression analysis method. Based on the results of this study, it was found that international tourism receipts, foreign direct investment, the rule of law, government effectiveness, and regulatory quality together affected GDP as a proxy for economic growth in ASEAN countries in 2003-2021. Partially, international tourism receipts, the rule of law, and government effectiveness positively and significantly affect economic gr. In contrast, FDI and regulatory quality have yet to influence economic growth in ASEAN countries from 2003-2021.

This study aims to prove and analyze the effect of export growth on economic growth in the ASEAN countries. Using annual data from 2004 to 2014, the empirical result shows that export growth is significant and gives positive impact on the economic growth in ASEAN. However, investment and labor-force are less to affect the economic growth in ASEAN. This study also provides strong evidence that supports the hypothesis of export-led growth as described by Nurkse (Moon, 1997). Export-led growth is an economic strategy that is also used by Islamic countries in ASEAN. Export-led growth has two important reasons, it can generate profits and allow countries to balance their finances and the export growth can lead to greater productivity. This is consistent with the macro theory assumes that exports are injection to the economy (McCombie et al, 1994).

Based on the panel data from 1980 to 2014, this article examines the effect of services export on economic growth in the ASEAN countries. The results show that there has been evidence of services export-led growth in ASEAN during the past decades. The services export data are disaggregated into modern and traditional services exports, and the estimations show that both exports contribute to the GDP growth with the less strong positive effect from the modern services exports. The goods export, conventional engine of growth, also maintains its significant and robust role as the growth-enhancing factor for ASEAN. In the period of a slow growth of goods exports and the direction of the growth policy towards services-oriented sector, the services exports have become increasingly significant as a new engine of growth, which also complement to the existing growth engine. JEL Codes: F43, O4

The purpose of this study is to analyze convergence and factors that affect CO2 growth in ASEAN countries. The model used is the Augmented Green Solow Model developed by Rios & Gianmoena (a2018) based on Brock & Taylor (2004, 2010) which takes into account spatial effects. This study found that during the period 1971-2019, ASEAN countries experienced convergence which was shown to be a significant and negative coefficient of initial CO2, but was fairly slow compared to other studies or regions. Significant variables affect CO2/capita growth in ASEAN countries, namely physical capital investment and trade openness that increases emissions, while human capital significantly reduces emissions. Significant spatial effects occur in initial CO2/capita, physical capital investment, and human capital. The Kyoto Protocol was found to be insignificant in CO2/capita growth in ASEAN countries.Keywords: CO2, Convergence, Green Solow ModelJEL Classifications: C23, O13, O44, Q53, Q56DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/ijeep.11582

This study aims to determine the effect of the Human Development Index (HDI), Population and Labor Force Participation on economic growth in ASEAN, the influence of the Human Development Index on economic growth in ASEAN, the influence of population on growth in ASEAN countries and the influence of

This study aims to analyse the impact of foreign direct investment, exports, the human development index, technology, and corruption on economic growth in ASEAN. This quantitative analysis employs panel data regression to identify the variables affecting economic growth in ASEAN. This study encompasses ten ASEAN countries: Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Myanmar, and Laos, covering the period from 2010 to 2023. This study's results demonstrate that foreign direct investment, exports, the human development index, and technology significantly and positively influence economic growth in ASEAN. Corruption does not significantly impede economic growth within ASEAN. The variables of foreign direct investment, exports, the human development index, technology, and corruption collectively exert a significant influence on economic growth in ASEAN. This study introduces technology as a significant influencing variable. The ASEAN government persists in upholding stability and enhancing the national economy. The government must implement decisive measures in state security and enhance transparency to prevent an increase in state corruption. Further research should focus on broadening the variables associated with economic growth and employing diverse methodologies.

T he purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of foreign direct investment and portfolio investment on the convergence occurrence of economic growth of countries in the ASEAN + 3 region and to determine the time or speed required to achieve convergence. The type of data used in this research is secondary data panel which is combination between time series data and cross-section data with annual time period 2001-2015 and number of ASEAN member country that is Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam and plus three countries namely China, Korea and Japan. So the total observation is 195. The analytical method used is the Arellano Bond dynamic panel. The results of the study show that the first lag variable of economic growth, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and portfolio investment have a significant influence on economic growth in ASEAN + 3, but not on ASEAN without China, Japan, and Republic Korea. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has a greater influence on changes in economic growth than portfolio investment. Half-life conditional convergence shows a value of 10.63 years which means the time required achieving steady-state conditions of the convergence process or the time required to achieve half of the convergence at convergence rates reaches 0.065% / year. Meanwhile, the influence of portfolio investment provides a greater speed of adjustment to the convergence process than foreign direct investment, but in a half-life of convergence, foreign direct investment is faster than the influence of portfolio investment.

The economic growth in ASEAN countries increases and develops in each year. globalization has a positive effect on economic growth through the effectiveness of the allocation of domestic resources, technological diffusion, increased productivity and capital. This study investigates globalization to economic growth in ASEAN in 2012-2017. The research method used judgmental sampling with samples of 11 countries. They were Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The analysis used path analysis to examine each variable. Globalization was determined by globalization index, economic globalization, social globalization, and politic globalization. Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita are used as proxy for economic growth. The results describe that globalization had a significant positive association with economic growth. All indicators of globalization, show the positive association between globalization index, economic globalization, social globalization, and politic globalization to real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita. This confirms that globalization is able to provide a positive response in ASEAN.

The economic growth in ASEAN countries increases and develops in each year. globalization has a positive effect on economic growth through the effectiveness of the allocation of domestic resources, technological diffusion, increased productivity and capital. This study investigates globalization to economic growth in ASEAN in 2012-2017. The research method used judgmental sampling with samples of 11 countries. They were Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, East Timor, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. The analysis used path analysis to examine each variable. Globalization was determined by globalization index, economic globalization, social globalization, and politic globalization. Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita are used as proxy for economic growth. The results describe that globalization had a significant positive association with economic growth. All indicators of globalization, show the positive association between globalization index, economic globalization, social globalization, and politic globalization to real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita. This confirms that globalization is able to provide a positive response in ASEAN.

While other contributions in this volume delve into the fine-grained detail and diversity of development processes in Asian countries and sub-regions, this chapter analyses the opening-up experiences of China, India, and Malaysia by triangulating between: (i) the orientation of selected policy tools in trade, technology, investment, and finance in shaping a country’s degree of economic openness; (ii) the rational co-ordination of operational controls of these policy tools; and (iii) the overall development trends observed in the Asia region. The ‘rational co-ordination of operational controls’ is interpreted with reference to the strategic use of selected policy tools in the successful cases of earlier East Asian industrialization. The chapter contends that divergence in Asian growth can be understood by variations in pragmatic policy experimentation by national policymakers in search of more effective institutional mechanisms to achieve desired development outcomes.

Dietary intake is influenced by multiple systems, as highlighted in the Social- Ecological Model, including community influences like community programs. In this context, parks and recreation administrators may have a role in the types of snacks and beverages provided during youth sports. The current study focused on understanding park administrators’ experiences relative to the youth sports environment, including their responsibility and influence on the food environment. This was an exploratory qualitative case study conducted in Utah. Semi-structured interviews with parks and recreation administrators were completed via phone by a research assistant. A qualitative case study analysis was conducted by two researchers. In addition to the interviews, the websites of all the park and recreation sites were searched and phone calls were made to check physical locations for nutrition fliers/information. Three themes emerged through qualitative case study analysis. The first theme was the administrators’ role in the youth parks and recreation activities. The second theme was the administrators’ awareness of the food environment within youth sports. The final theme was the administrators’ role in influencing more nutritious snacks at these youth sporting activities. The results from this case study suggest that the parks and recreation administrators within Utah valued the importance of nutritional snacks and beverages within youth sporting activities and were supportive of the food environment improving. Several of the parks and recreation administrators in this study agreed that their further involvement (i.e., guidelines on snacks and beverages) in the youth sports food environment could improve the environment and better effect youth who are participating, thus enhancing opportunities to improve overall health and well-being. The results from this study show that administrators could bring awareness to youth sports nutrition and support guidelines for the types of snacks and beverages brought to youth sporting activities. Administrators could work with dietitians to develop information that would be appropriate to distribute to youth sports participants and parents. Providing information about what kinds of snacks to bring has the possibility to improve the conditions of the youth sports food environment. Additionally, consideration for policy changes in youth sports and recreation center facilities could be explored.