My friend Bilahari Kausikan is a brilliant man and one of Singapore’s public intellectuals. I respect his views even when they are provocative and revisionist. I would, however, like to challenge some of the views in his Opinion piece “Facing up to the realities of Trump 2.0” (March 3).
According to Mr Kausikan, the concept of world order began in 1989 and ended in 2008, in less than 20 years. This is incorrect.
When World War II ended, the victorious allies, led by the United States, wanted to create a new world order. They established several institutions, including the United Nations, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year.
The UN Charter is the founding document of the new world order that promotes democracy, human rights and international cooperation.
The quest for world order will always be challenged by powerful and lawless states. But all states cannot do away with the UN Charter and the ideas and values embedded in it. It is therefore wrong for Mr Kausikan to say that the quest for world order will never come back. The truth is that it has never gone away.
Mr Kausikan wrote that cooperative mechanisms like the UN and Asean are not intrinsic realities. He said they are only tools that states choose to use or not use, as their interests dictate. This is an incorrect statement.
As soon as Singapore became independent, it joined the United Nations. Speaking to the UN General Assembly on Sept 21, 1965, then Foreign Minister S. Rajaratnam explained that Singapore supports the UN Charter because “we realise that the well-being, the security and integrity of my country can be assured only on the basis of these principles. It is practical self-interest and not vague idealism which makes it necessary to give loyal support to these essential elements in the UN Charter”.
For the past 60 years, the prime ministers and foreign ministers of Singapore have echoed the view expressed by Mr Rajaratnam in 1965. To Singapore, the UN is an “intrinsic reality”.
I am surprised that Mr Kausikan should deny this fact when he had served, with great ability, as Singapore’s permanent representative to the UN from 1995 to 1998.
I am equally surprised by Mr Kausikan’s statement that Asean has no “intrinsic reality”. Asean is very real and important to Singapore’s national interests.
Asean has helped to keep the peace in our region for many decades. It has integrated the 10 economies into a single economy and nurtured a culture of consultation and consensus.
Because Asean is a successful regional organisation, it has impressive convening power. Every year, the leaders of the world come to our region to attend the Asean summit and related summits. Singapore looks forward to chairing Asean in 2027.
Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has written that Asean is a key pillar of Singapore’s foreign policy, and that it enlarges our political and economic space, giving us access to expanding markets and opportunities.
He added that regular interaction among Asean leaders and officials over the years has created a conducive environment for regional countries to maintain peace and stability and resolve differences peacefully despite diversity.
On Ukraine, Mr Kausikan wrote: “Ukraine was invaded by Russia and was unwittingly drawn into becoming a proxy in the wider competition between the US and China.”
I am glad he acknowledged that Ukraine was invaded by Russia. But I don’t understand his statement that Ukraine has become a proxy in the competition between the US and China. Perhaps he meant between the US and Russia.
Ukraine is nobody’s proxy. It is engaged in an unequal but courageous defence of its independence and territorial integrity against its bigger and more powerful neighbour Russia. I respect Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Singapore is right to support Ukraine and to condemn Russia. Mr Kausikan implied that Singapore’s action is based on its national interest and not on principle. He is not correct. Let me remind him of Singapore’s record.
In 1978, Singapore condemned Vietnam’s invasion and occupation of Cambodia. In 1979, Singapore condemned the Soviet Union’s invasion and occupation of Afghanistan. In 1983, Singapore condemned the United States for invading Grenada.
Why condemn the United States when it is very important to our national interests? Singapore’s foreign policy is based on realism – we had to do it to protect the UN Charter which protects Singapore.
Singapore would not survive if this were to become a lawless world in which might is right. As Mr Rajaratnam said in his 1965 statement, Singapore’s defence of the UN Charter is not based on some vague idealism but based upon practical self-interest.
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