Realizing Asean Socio-Cultural Community: An Analysis of the Role of Islam

Abstract

The ASEAN Socio-cultural Community (ASCC) reflects ASEAN's social agenda of poverty eradication and human development, which also addresses the cultural and civilizational cohesions in ASEAN (ASEAN, 2014). Success of such integration depends on the level of cooperation among the diverse cultural groups in ASEAN. The inspiration of specific religio-cultural norms and practices often dictates the inter-cultural cooperation. Islam as the most widely practiced religion in ASEAN inspires the success of ASCC. This paper provides an analysis of the potentials of Islamic values and cultural practices in ASEAN countries to materialize the ASCC. Since the focus of the ASCC is to realize the ASEAN community, it is important to assess the strategic objectives of the ASCC Blueprint and practical Islamic norms, namely the direction for cooperation, coexistence, and dialogue. The paper argues Islamic norms have historically provided stability and progress in various ASEAN nations. In recent global turmoil, Muslims in ASEAN countries have guarded intra-faith coexistence. Islam provides common understanding of values to its" ethnically and nationality varied followers located across ASEAN. The paper describes Muslims are proactively participating in the construction of ASEAN Community irrespective of their citizenry in the Muslim majority or minority countries. Through intensive documentary analysis and selected interviews, the paper identifies that Islamic values are in-line with the normative aspects required for the construction of ASCC. Islam dictates its members and inspires non-members to ascertain the common ground to create regional solidarity for a caring and sharing society by designing and shaping various practical programs across ASEAN.