Asean should review its membership criteria

 As an organisation of small nation states wanting to preserve peace in the region through neutrality, Asean is always face with the challenge of big power interference, wanting to take control of Asean to do their bidding, to be coerced to take sides and become pawns in big power rivalry. One clear evidence of this is the continuing bickering within Asean to want to poke its fingers into the internal affairs of Myanmar, a position that the founding fathers of Asean clearly did not want Asean to do. Asean must not be allowed to interfere with the domestic affairs of its member states.

Who is behind this fetish behaviour, pushing Asean to poke into the affairs of Myanmar? The answer is quite obvious. Then again, knowing shallow some Asean leaders are, some may unconsciously be duped or persuaded to do the bidding of big powers, some willingly, knowingly, some innocently, some stupidly without know they were doing it.

As an organisation that wants to be free from big power rivalry, Asean wants to be friends of all countries, all powers, but not to the extend of becoming their crony. Asean welcome all big powers to be here, but to leave Asean alone, not to coerce Asean member states to take sides. In this matter, the US has been the biggest culprit forcing Asean to take sides. But the US cronies in Asean would instead call out China as the guilty party coercing Asean to take sides. No prizes for guessing who are the American cronies.

Asean and the region is increasing being dragged into America's hegemonic war plan. And tension has been rising and reaching new heights in the South China Sea with American crony, oops, American new colony the Philippines provoking China under the egging of the Americans. The Philippines has even offered more military bases for the Americans to strengthen their military presence in the region, an act that is contrary to what Asean stands for.

Asean may want to look into this development and review its membership criteria, to forbid Asean member states to host military bases of foreign powers. This should be an important criteria for membership in Asean. If Asean compromise on this, then with more American colonies and crony states within Asean, it would be very difficult for Asean to maintain its neutrality in big power rivalry and would be dragged to become pawns and pay a heavy price like Ukraine.

East Timor is also waiting at the door for membership. East Timor has also allowed the Americans to build a military base in its island. One American colony is bad enough. Two would soon become three and Asean could lose its way and its original purpose, as a neutral regional organisation free from big power interference.

As it is, the Americans are worming into the organisation. A gap has been breached and could get bigger and Asean could sleep walk into becoming a pawn of the Americans.