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ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Phnom Penh on Monday should put the three issues of Aung San Suu Kyi, Anwar Ibrahim and Acheh on its agenda to mark a maturing of the ASEAN process towards “constructive intervention” with greater openness and frankness  for the greater good of the region Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang (Petaling Jaya,  Saturday):  The ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Phnom Penh on Monday should put the three issues of Aung San Suu Kyi, Anwar Ibrahim and Acheh on its agenda to mark a maturing of the ASEAN process towards “constructive intervention” with greater openness and frankness for the greater good of the region.  Thirty-six years after its formation in 1967, there is a need for greater openness and frankness in ASEAN to address problems in the member countries instead of continuing with the current practice of sweeping them under the carpet or pretending they don’t exist, although they dominate international concerns about ASEAN, such as the three issues of Aung San Suu Kyi, Anwar Ibrahim and Acheh.  In fact, six years ago, when he was still Deputy Prime Minister, Anwar had created waves when he openly proposed that ASEAN should pursue “constructive intervention” particularly  in dealing with issues of democracy and human rights – as they are the concerns  not only of the national players but of the regional and international community as well, especially in an era where no government can claim unquestioned or unfettered sovereignty to violate  the human rights of its citizens.  If member nations of the European Union can discuss each other’s problems and even confront each other, without in any manner undermining the  cohesion and solidarity of the European community, there is no reason why ASEAN should not similarly progress from its traditional docrtrine of “non-interference” to a more pro-active policy particularly when domestic affairs impinge on regional and international interests – whether posing a threat to regional stability or regional prosperity in undermining or discouraging international investments to ASEAN.  For a start, the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting should not only set in motion plans to establish an ASEAN Human Rights Commission and an ASEAN Human Rights Court, but also an ASEAN Ministerial committee on human rights to monitor, protect and promote human rights in the region, making periodic reports to the ASEAN governments. (14/6/2003) * Lim Kit Siang, DAP National Chairman