Indonesia in ASEAN

Book excerpt: The argument here is that, although Indonesia would appear to be the natural leader in Southeast Asia, it has been singularly unsuccessful in putting its stamp on ASEAN. If anything, ASEAN has been put on Indonesia’s bebas dan aktif (independent and active) foreign policy stamp through Indonesia’s deference to self-constructed obligations to ASEAN solidarity and consensus. ASEAN’s political incoherence on regional security matters suggests that, for Indonesia, strategic independence from the immobilism of ASEAN decision making would put bebas dan aktif back into play in pursuit of Indonesian national security interests.