REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SINGAPORE -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has underscored the need for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to stay alert for cyber attack. To that end, ASEAN member states need to work more closely in digital technology and cyber security. he said while addressing a plenary session of the 32nd ASEAN Summit held in Singapore on Friday night.

"We know there has been abuse of personal data by Facebook users. In ASEAN, we need to ensure the framework of cooperation in cyber security which also contains the protection of personal data. Hence, cooperation in the cyber field is a must," he said.

The Indonesian leader went on to say that ASEAN has very large potentials in the e-commerce field. He predicted Internet users in ASEAN member states will triple to 600 million in 2015.

"E-commerce shopping is projected at almost US$90 billion and total internet-based economy is estimated at US$200 billion," he said.

Hence, ASEAN member states need to establish closer cooperation in developing cyber security policy and capacity building initiative through the ASEAN Cyber Capacity Program, the AMCC, and the ASEAN-Japan Cyber security Capacity Building Center, among others.

In their joint statement, ASEAN leaders underscored the need for ASEAN member states to implement steps and efforts to develop self confidence and adopt general, voluntary, and non-binding norms from the public behavior in order to act responsibly in the cyber world.

Indo-Pacific cooperation

Jokowi also called on ASEAN to maintain active role including in the development of Indo- Pacific regional cooperation concept. Development of Indo-Pacific cooperation should be based on the principle of transparency and inclusive, with emphasis on cooperation and friendship, Jokowi said.

In addition, the Indo-Pacific cooperation concept should underline the ASEAN centrality, he said. "ASEAN must be able to play its role including in the development of the cooperation concept of Indo-Pacific. The concept is important to keep ASEAN relevant, always able to play its centrality and show its capability in managing strategic environmental change," he said.

The President pointed to the big challenge in the Indo West Pacific region, saying failure to cope with the challenge, could lead to disruption of what ASEAN has achieved so far.

Therefore, ASEAN has to contribute to development of both the Pacific and the Indian Oceans, he said, adding and ASEAN could only give significant contribution if it remains united and maintains its centrality.

Indonesia proposed the Indo-Pacific concept at a retreat meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers in January, 2018. Indonesia has also held communications with a number of ASEAN dialog partners on the cooperation concept.

Jokowi repeated saying that the Indo-Pasifik concept is important that ASEAN remains relevant, able to continue its centrality including in managing change in strategic environment.

He said everyone knows and feel the intensity of the struggle for sphere of influence and rivalry involving world's big powers in this region, the confluence of two big oceans as marked by threat of trade war and sea security.

Therefore, ASEAN as Indo-Pacific fulcrum, should orient itself not only to the Pacific but also to the Indian Ocean development, he said.

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