Stronger gov’t, private sector partnership needed in digital era

FILE: The headquarter of Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) in Jalan Sisingamangaraja No.70A, South Jakarta, Indonesia. (Photo By Gunawan Kartapranata – Own work/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0)

NONTHABURI, Thailand — Closer coordination among member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the private sector will be the driving force that will help address issues caused by technological innovations, Asean – Business Advisory Council (Asean-BAC) chairman Arin Jira said on Saturday.

In his welcome remarks during the opening of the two-day Asian Business and Investment Summit (ABIS) 2019 on the sidelines of the 35th Asean Summit and Related Summits being held here and in Bangkok from November 2-4, Arin explained that with the challenges brought about by digitalization, the Asean-BAC has pushed for the implementation of the four pillars of the Asean Economic Community (AEC), which was launched in end-2015 to highlight greater partnership between the public and private sectors.

These four pillars are digital infrastructure, digital connectivity, human empowerment and development, and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Arin said this year’s summit, which carries the theme “Empowering Asean 4.0”, aims to prepare Asean members on the impact of technological innovations.

“The impact and the importance of the 4 IR or the fourth industrial revolution, I believe, needs no further elaboration as we’re all witnesses to its disruptive impact in the way we work, the manner we do our business and above all the way we live. As I always say, either we get ready for it or we get crushed by it,” he said.

Relatively, Arin said, the AEC has achieved successes since its institution a few years back.

He, however, noted that “there are still many growing pains and hurdles that need to be addressed.

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He likened AEC to a toddler who, he said, “needs a great deal of nurturing and care.”

“It deserves quite a lot of attention, patience, understanding, love and, of course, tons of money and resources,” he said.

“Sadly, we see the playground of this toddler is not entirely safe and conducive to growth as to politics, the trade wars, climate change and other forces that cause barriers to integration, growth and economic maturity,” he said.

Thus, the Asean-BAC chief said, Asean “must be united and strong” and for it to “remain focused in hastening and deepening economic integration.

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“It must be a voice and force for the good and global economic peace,” he added.