AUGUST 20 — When Asean was established on August 8, 1967, its founding members envisioned a regional order built on dialogue, cooperation, and resilience. For South-east Asia, still emerging from the shadows of colonial rule and Cold War confrontation, Asean was a bold attempt to craft a zone of stability. 

Four years later, in 1971, Malaysia and Singapore joined hands with Australia, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand to launch the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA). This pact was no accident of history; it was a deliberate complement to Asean’s vision of regional security.

The FPDA was born just a year after Asean declared the Zone of Peace, Freedom, and Neutrality (Zopfan) in Kuala Lumpur in 1970. 

Zopfan was a political statement of intent: South-east Asia must not become the playground of great power rivalry. But declarations alone could not guarantee safety. 

The Vietnam War was raging, and the withdrawal of British forces east of Suez left Malaysia and Singapore vulnerable. 

The FPDA filled this gap. While Zopfan embodied Asean’s diplomatic quest for neutrality, the FPDA offered a hard security safety net—anchored not in alliance obligations but in consultation and cooperation.

The importance of the FPDA for Malaysia cannot be overstated. Unlike Nato, it does not bind members to collective defence. Instead, it institutionalises regular consultations and joint military exercises, ensuring Malaysia and Singapore are never isolated in the face of aggression. 

Over the years, exercises such as Bersama Shield and Bersama Lima have done more than sharpen tactics; they have nurtured interoperability, exposed Malaysian forces to advanced operational practices, and prepared them for United Nations peacekeeping deployments. 

These engagements are Malaysia’s only consistent multinational military training opportunities—an invaluable supplement to its limited defense capacity.

At the same time, Asean and the FPDA should not be seen as competing pillars of security. They are symbiotic. Asean, with its emphasis on consensus and dialogue, creates the political environment that makes cooperative security possible. 

The FPDA, in turn, provides a practical mechanism for capacity-building, ensuring that Malaysia and Singapore remain confident participants in Asean’s broader vision of regional stability. Together, they reflect Malaysia’s dual strategy: embrace neutrality and diplomacy through Asean, while anchoring deterrence and preparedness through the FPDA.

Half a century on, both institutions face new tests. The rise of China, the resurgence of US strategic primacy, and tensions in the South China Sea demand careful balancing. 

Here, Asean continues to serve as the convenor of dialogue through the Asean Regional Forum, East Asia Summit, and the ongoing negotiations on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. The FPDA, meanwhile, has adapted to include non-traditional security threats—counterterrorism, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief—broadening its relevance in an era where security is no longer defined solely by state-to-state conflict.

Critics often argue that the FPDA is a relic of the Cold War. Yet its enduring value lies in flexibility. It reassures Malaysia and Singapore without constraining them in rigid treaty commitments. Similarly, Asean, though derided as slow-moving, has preserved South-east Asia as one of the least conflict-prone regions in the world. Neither is perfect, but both are indispensable.

For Malaysia, the lesson is clear. Asean and the FPDA are not parallel tracks but complementary ones. They represent two sides of the same coin: Asean provides the diplomatic shield, while the FPDA delivers the operational muscle. In a region where great powers jostle for influence, Malaysia’s security will continue to rest on the twin anchors laid down in 1967 and 1971.

* Phar Kim Beng is a professor of Asean Studies and Director of the Institute of Internationalization and Asean Studies at the International Islamic University of Malaysia.

PENDANG – Seorang wanita terselamat daripada ajal apabila tersedar rumahnya di Felda Sungai Tiang di sini terbakar ketika bangun menunaikan solat sunat tahajud awal pagi tadi.

Dalam kejadian pada pukul 2 pagi itu, Norhaslinda Jamaludin, 47, yang tinggal bersendirian di rumah pusaka keluarganya sempat keluar menyelamatkan diri.

Menurut bekas juruanalisis komputer itu, biasanya dia bangun pada pukul 2.30 pagi untuk solat tahajud, namun malam tadi mengakui dia sukar melelapkan mata.

“Disebabkan tidak dapat tidur, saya mengambil wuduk dan mula membaca al-Quran sementara menunaikan solat tahajud di bilik tingkat bawah.

“Tiba-tiba saya terdengar letupan dari atas dan api mula membakar dinding serta bumbung. Jadi saya segera berlari keluar untuk menyelamatkan diri,” katanya ketika dihubungi hari ini.

Cerita Norhaslinda, walaupun mengalami masalah penglihatan dan sukar bergerak kerana lumpuh di bahagian kiri badan akibat tumor otak sejak 15 tahun lalu, Allah masih memberikan kekuatan kepadanya untuk menyelamatkan diri.

PETALING JAYA – Jabatan Alam Sekitar (JAS) telah melaksanakan latihan melawan tumpahan minyak (Ex-Tamban) bagi meningkatkan kesiapsiagaan semua pihak supaya tindakan pantas dapat diambil sekiranya berlaku bencana.

Latihan selama dua hari yang bermula semalam itu melibatkan pihak industri dan agensi kerajaan bertujuan meningkatkan koordinasi dan komunikasi yang lancar antara semua agensi yang terlibat.

Ketua Pengarah Alam Sekitar, Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffar berkata, latihan itu turut menampilkan penggunaan teknologi moden termasuk kecerdasan buatan (AI) sebagai medium simulasi.

Selain itu, teknologi terbabit turut digunakan dalam pengoperasian aset mengawal tumpahan minyak Petroleum Industry of Malaysia Mutual Aid Group (PIMMAG) yang digerakkan melalui penempatan di laut.

“Beberapa pelan tindakan telah diuji keberkesanannya, termasuk Oil Spill Response Plan (OSRP) oleh EnQuest dan Jadestone dan Marine Oil Spill Contingency Plan (MOSCoP).

“Turut diuji mekanisme Request for Government Assistance for Oil Spill Response (Tier 1 & 2 Industry),” katanya dalam satu kenyataan di sini hari ini.

Justeru katanya, latihan sebegini berperanan memperkukuh kesiapsiagaan, sokongan dan tindakan bersama dalam usaha mengawal serta membersihkan insiden tumpahan minyak.

“Selain meningkatkan keupayaan respons, latihan ini turut menjadi platform perkongsian kepakaran, teknologi, sistem kawalan dan kaedah komunikasi yang lebih teratur antara semua pihak,”ujarnya.

Untuk rekod, sebanyak 37 kes tumpahan minyak telah dilaporkan dalam tempoh lima tahun yang lalu.

Bagi tahun 2025 pula, sehingga bulan Ogos hanya lima kes direkodkan dan penurunan itu membuktikan keberkesanan tindakan pantas hasil komitmen padu semua pihak termasuk industri.-KOSMO! ONLINE

INDONESIA: Gunung Lewotobi di wilayah Nusa Tenggara Timur meletus beberapa kali pada Isnin, mencetuskan amaran penerbangan tahap tertinggi.

Menurut Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi Indonesia, awan abu menjulang setinggi lapan kilometer ke udara.

Kepulan asap kelabu tebal bergerak ke arah barat dan barat laut dari gunung berapi tersebut.

Pihak berkuasa menaikkan Notis Pemerhatian Gunung Berapi untuk Penerbangan ke tahap merah, melarang penerbangan di bawah enam kilometer.

Aktiviti dalam radius tujuh kilometer dari kawah juga dihadkan bagi melindungi penduduk dan pelancong.

Penduduk di lereng gunung dinasihatkan berwaspada terhadap risiko banjir lahar akibat hujan lebat.

Gunung Lewotobi setinggi 1,584 meter merupakan salah satu daripada 127 gunung berapi aktif di Indonesia. - Bernama