MANAGING SECURITY AND PEACE IN THE ASIA PACIFIC (9TH APR)
Edited by Thangam Ramnath
1996 594 pp RM 38.00 ISBN 967947- 218-3
The Ninth Asia Pacific Roundtable focused heavily on non-conventional challenges to security. The role of the media in the making of peace and conflict and its impact on interstate relations came under close scrutiny. Besides the usual conventional and non-conventional security issues, other topics discussed included the security and political implications of mega trends in Asia, multilateralism and sub regionalism, and the Cscap Working Group Reports on comprehensive security building measures in Asia Pacific, and security co-operation in the North Pacific.
Japan and East Asia
By Shinichi Nishio, Kazuo Nukazawa, Katsuhiro Utada & Yuji Auzuki
1996 26 pp RM 5.00 ISBN 967947-217-5
This special issue is a compilation of speeches given by four guest speakers in Kuala Lumpur as part of the `Forum for Promoting Dialogue Between Malaysia and Japan.’ The speeches cover issues pertaining to Japan–Asia relations, more specifically on Japan ‘s economic activities in Asian countries. Japan’s role in Asean‘s economic development was also discussed.
EAEC: Fact and Fiction
21 pp (1996)
By Noordin Sopiee
1996 21 pp RM 2.50 ISBN – 967947- 213-2
Calling the East Asia Economic Co-operation (EAEC) one of the most deliberately misrepresented and misunderstood ideas since World War II, the writer hopes to set the record straight on the EAEC. He quotes extensively from speeches of the proponent of the EAEC, former Malaysian Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir Mohamad who had exhorted Japan to join the grouping as a partner and leader because Japan is the only developed country in East Asia and the only Asian country with the ability to help its fellow Asian countries. He quotes statesmen who think the EAEC is natural, destined and inevitable and then goes on to defend the concept against a list of criticisms.
GROWTH TRIANGLES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA:
Strategy for Development
Edited by Imran Lim Noordin Sopiee
1996 273 pp RM 28.00/US$14.00 ISBN – 967947- 201-9
The focus of the Fourth Southeast Asia Roundtable on Economic Development (RED 4) was growth triangles in Southeast Asia as a strategy for development. This current issue has attracted much interest in the region, especially among regional governments, policy makers, academics and private sector interests. It was felt that growth triangles could spur faster economic growth while simultaneously helping to create ‘borderless economies’ and promote closer regional co-operation. RED 4 was organised to look into these possibilities and to provide a forum to discuss issues on economic growth and regional co-operation, especially in areas of trade, investments, joint exploitation of resources and the service sector and mutual co-operation towards sustainable economic growth for Southeast Asia. From the RED 4 discussions, it is apparent that the idea of growth triangles has already acquired regional acceptability. It was the unanimous consensus that regional governments should support this concept and exploit its potential through greater commitment.
THE FUTURE OF ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AFTER THE OSAKA MEETING
By Noboru Hatakeyama
1996 12 pp RM3.00/US$1.50 ISBN 967-947-223-X
The Osaka Apec Meeting was a success in that it would result in Apec countries harmonising tariff nomenclature by 1996. Japan and China will reduce tariffs on hundreds of items. Also, investment in the energy sectors of Apec countries will be facilitated further. The remaining issues are that of the definition of liberalisation of trade and investment and of nondiscrimination in granting most favoured nation status to other countries as a result of trade and investment liberalisation.
The writer also briefly describes the characteristics of the Trans-Atlantic Free Trade Area or the Trans-Atlantic Market that was agreed to in December 1995. Finally, he makes out a strong case for the Asia-Pacific-Europe Economic Co-operation by listing the many advantages that this consultation mechanism would hold for Apec countries.
APEC AFTER OSAKA
By Hadi Soesastro
1996 12 pp RM3.00/US$1.50 ISBN 967-947-218-3
Dr Hadi believes that it will be a combination of Apec members’ individual action plans (IAPS) and their collective action plans (CAPS) that will characterise the Apec process after the Osaka Summit. Apec post-Osaka will have to be able to demonstrate that ‘Apec methodology now known as “concerted unilateralism,” driven by collective peer pressure of action plans implemented by each economy at its own pace, works. The writer feels the implementation of the Osaka Action Agenda should always be viewed in the broadest context of Apec’s development, which emphasises, among other things, the importance of co-operation among regional countries in such areas as population, food, resources, energy and the environment. The task ahead for Apec is to translate these challenges into a balanced agenda. He goes on to discuss the two pillars of the Osaka Action Agenda: trade and investment liberalisation and facilitation; and economic and technical cooperation, also known as development co-operation.
THE REVOLUTION IN EAST ASIA
By Noordin Sopiee
1996 17 pp RM3.00/US$1.50 ISBN 967-947-221-3
The writer describes three basic dimensions to a quiet cumulative revolution that has been taking place in East Asia, which may have equally, if not more, profound consequences for the world as the revolution in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The basic dimensions of the East Asian Revolution are: the economic revolution; the political revolution; and the psychological-cultural revolution. Under the economic revolution. he discusses the dynamism revolution which saw almost every economy in East Asia making dramatic strides to become dynamic economies; the size revolution which saw East Asia becoming an economic giant in the 1990s; and the integration revolution, which sees East Asia as the fastest integrating region in the world in terms of trade and investment. Under the political revolution, he discusses the peace revolution, the human rights revolution, and the democracy revolution. And under the psychological revolution, he discusses the regional consciousness revolution, the confidence revolution and the self-worth/assertiveness revolution.
PROSPECTS FOR REGIONAL CO-OPERATION AFTER THE OSAKA SUMMIT
By Noordin Sopiee
1996 8 pp RM3.00/US$1.50 ISBN 967-947-222-1
The writer believes that as a result of the remarkable results achieved at the Osaka Apec Summit, the future of regional co-operation in the Asia-Pacific will be promising. The Summit:
Established a pace-setting style of democratic leadership and consensus-building;
Was able to counter the wrong turn taken during the Seattle Summit in 1993;
Invented and institutionalised the “concerted unilateral approach,” whereby each Apec member will voluntarily submit its own plan for full liberalisation by a targeted period;
Produced in ten Asian economies a much greater sense of confidence and comfort about the entire Apec process;
Restored to Apec a badly-needed sense of realism;
Resulted in concrete and specific steps which are not to be easily dismissed.
PEACEKEEPING EXPERIENCE: Papua New Guinea
By Dennis Renton
1996 6 pp RM2.50/US$2.50 ISBN 967-947-217-5
The South Pacific Regional Peacekeeping Force (SPRPKF) was put together and financed by the Papua New Guinea Government to provide security for the Bougainville Peace Conference in October 1994. Direct Papua New Guinean experience of international peacekeeping is thus confined to the role of inviting, arranging and hosting the SPRPF. Though the force was called in to assist in the resolution of an internal crisis, some general lessons can be drawn from this experience, as this paper outlines.
EAST ASIA TOWARDS THE YEAR 2000:
WHAT THE REGION SHOULD, CAN AND WILL DO
WHAT THE REGION SHOULD, CAN AND WILL DO
By Ezra Vogel and Ichiro Uchida
1996 21 pp RM5.00/US$2.50 ISBN 967-947-217-5
What is happening in East Asia and will happen to it in the future are the issues being explored by two Asian experts in this CJS Lecture Series booklet. Prof. Ezra Vogel, who has studied and witnessed first hand the changes in East Asia from the 1950s, focused his discussion on China and Southeast Asia, as well as the role of big powers (the United States and Russia) in the region. He traced the changes that are taking place in China and Southeast Asia, examining the progress and developments as well as problems in these countries. Uchida concentrated on the role of Japan in East Asia — past, present and future – and presented an overview on the rapidly changing political scenes in Japan.
SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZE COMPANIES IN JAPAN:
CASE STUDY OF SATO CORPORATION
CASE STUDY OF SATO CORPORATION
By Norma Mansor
1996 41 pp RM10.00/US$5.00 ISBN 967-947-212-4
This Japan Research Series study examines some of the salient features behind the success of a Japanese family-owned business, Sato Corporation, a small and medium sized corporation (SMC) under the legal Japanese definition. As background, the history of the Japanese economy is discussed briefly, highlighting some of the Japanese policies and government support in rebuilding the economy after WWII and the indirect assistance to the growth of the SMCs. Lessons can be learned from the Japanese experience because SMCs, as vibrant entities that add value, depth and resilience to an economy, play an important role in Malaysia’s effort towards becoming an industrialised nation by the year 2020.
1990 – 1995
THE EMERGING REGIONAL SECURITY ARCHITECTURE IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION (8TH APR)
Edited by Bunn Nagara & Cheah Siew Ean
449 pp 1995 RM 35.00 ISBN 967947-219-1
The Eighth Asia Pacific Roundtable addressed issues such as future security in the Asia Pacific, the strengthening of regional security regimes, the future of the Asean Regional Forum and Cscap in the emerging regional security architecture, as well as past and present Asian conflicts, non-conventional threats such as narcotics, labour migration and HIV/Aids to security in the region and the role of major powers in enhancing regional security. Issues discussed for the first time at the Roundtable included narcotics and migration, as well as domestic problems in Canada, the US and Mexico, the latter a departure from the exclusive focus on the Western Pacific Rim which had characterised all previous roundtables.
ATMOSFERA YANG BERUBAH
By John Firor
159 pp 1995 RM15.00/US$7.50 ISBN 967-947-203-5
Kita kini sedang berada di ambang perubahan besar atmosfera dunia. Kita menghadapi cabaran yang serius daripada hujan asid, penipisan ozon, dan pemanasan iklim. Sungguhpun kejadian semula jadi banyak mempengaruhi perubahan di atmosfera, namun sejak dekad kebelakangan ini, masalah ini banyak disebabkan oleh pencemaran yang dihasilkan oleh aktiviti manusia. Dalam buku ini, John Firor, seorang pakar dalam kajian atmosfera teiah membincangkan sebab-sebab terjadinya hujan asid, penipisan ozon dan pemanasan ikiim – serta bukti-bukti yang menunjukkan bahawa masalahnya sekarang menjadi semakin parah. Beliau juga mengemukakan banyak cadangan untuk mengawal masalah ini dan bagaimana mengatasi kemusnahan atmosfera dalam bentuk-bentuk lain. Dengan cara yang mudah dan jelas, John Firor membincangkan bagaimana pelepasan bahan sulfur dan nitrogen ke udara boleh mengakibatkan hujan asid, bagaimana pelepasan gas-gas yang mengandungi kiorin ke udara mengakibatkan kemusnahan ozon di atmosfera atas, dan bagaimana kehadiran gas pemerangkap infra-merah di atmosfera boleh menyebabkan kita kehilangan radiasi infra-merah di bumi yang akan mengakibatkan pemanasan iklim. Dalam buku ini, Firor menjelaskan bahawa fakta asas kepada ekologi sejagat ialah hakikat bahawa ketiga-tiga masalah ini wujud dalam bentuk yang berhubungkait antara satu sama lain. Beliau menghuraikan mengapa ketiga-tiga masaiah ini tidak boleh dilihat secara berasingan dan apa yang boleh kita lakukan untuk mengatasinya.
MANAGING INDUSTRIAL TRANSITION IN MALAYSIA
Edited by Vijayakumari Kanapathy
164 pp 1995 RM34.00/US$17.50 ISBN 967-947-200-0
This book consists of seven select papers presented at the seminar ‘Managing Industrial Transition in Malaysia: Policies for the 1990s and Beyond’. The seminar brought together some of the key architects of Malaysia’s industrial policy to: Review and assess, critically, the adequacy and relevance of policies, strategies and programmes to facilitate and hasten industrial transition; Draw lessons from the industrialised economies, in particular the Asian Newly Industrialising Economies, in the area of human resource development and technology policies; and Examine the constraints to policy revision, formulation and implementation.
