Browsing by Author "Martin Sviatko"

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The Rise of ISIS in the ASEAN Region
(CamEd Business School, December 30, 2019) Martin Sviatko
This research paper seeks to examine the emergence of ISIS in the ASEAN region and its debilitating effect on the political stability of the ASEAN member states. Although ASEAN has been confronted by various political and security threats right from its inception, the subversive political terrorism of ISIS represents a brand new and much more perplexing security challenge. The paper starts with a brief review of ASEAN’s history, highlighting the role of external security threat posed by nation-state actors as a key determinant of its establishment. The section of the paper presenting an analysis of subversive terrorism depicts political terrorism as a major asymmetric threat posed by non-state actors. A subsequent insight into ISIS’s background, ideology, structure and modus operandi brings to the fore the magnitude of this problem. This is followed by an analysis of those factors which have facilitated the rise of ISIS in the ASEAN region. Although militarily defeated in its birthplace as of 2019, ISIS continues to show its presence and strength in ASEAN – the region which is geographically remote from the locality where it originated. In its conclusion, the paper recommends a number of solutions that ASEAN can implement in order to tackle and eliminate this asymmetric threat. Keywords: ASEAN; Political terrorism; ISIS; Nation-state actors; Political stability; Security
The US – China Trade War and Its Ramifications for ASEAN
(CamEd Business School, May 30, 2020) Martin Sviatko
This research papers attempts to analyze the ongoing trade war between the United States and China and its ramifications for the ASEAN region. The paper starts with a brief review of the trade war between the two world’s largest economies, highlighting the main root causes of this trade conflict. In spite of the fact that in the initial stage of the trade war, ASEAN was largely perceived as a region which would positively benefit from the trade dispute and its spillovers, this research paper disputes such a narrative. As the trade war entered its second year, with a solution to this crisis yet to be found, the ASEAN economies began to feel various impacts of this trade dispute. The section of the paper presenting an analysis of the trade war effects on ASEAN documents largely negative impacts on this region. Given the fact that all the ASEAN member states adopted an export-led economic model – the model that lifted millions out of poverty and helped ASEAN’s economies through the downturn of the 1997 Asian financial crisis – evidence suggests that exports appear to be the first victim of the trade war. Due to the decreasing volume of exports, ASEAN’s economic growth has begun to dwindle. In its conclusion, the research paper argues that as long as the trade war continues to disrupt the global economy, its negative effects will continue to weigh heavily on ASEAN. Keywords: ASEAN; Trade war; United States; China; Export; Economic growth
Vision and the Nation-State: The Ongoing Transformation of Malaysia and Cambodia
(CamEd Business School, June 30, 2018) Martin Sviatko
This research paper studies the impact of vision on the ongoing political, economic and social transformation of two nation-states, Malaysia and Cambodia. Although these countries vary in terms of their political history, both constitutional monarchies had introduced an ideal image regarding their future orientations. In addition, what both countries have in common is that their visions aim to achieve the same objective: Becoming high-income economies within a specific time frame. The paper starts with the analysis of social systems, highlighting the role of vision as an enabler of the large-scale transformation of the nation-states. The sections of the paper presenting the analysis of Malaysia’s Vision 2020 and Cambodia Vision 2050 document these transformations. The research paper also analyzes how each country creates, communicates and implements their respective visions. Vision empowers the nation-state, and it shows that a social transformation is feasible only when citizens understand and support the change effort. In its conclusion, the research paper attempts to outline how successful both countries will be in meeting their respective objectives. Keywords: Social system; Nation-state; Vision; Transformation; Malaysia; Vision 2020; Cambodia Vision 2050; High-income economy; Change effort