MAY 5 — Referring to the article “26th Asean Summit concludes on positive note” published by The Malay Mail Online on 27 April 2015, the timely adoption of the Asean Declaration on the Global Movement of Moderates unanimously by the Asean leaders at the 26th Summit during their Retreat at Langkawi is a historic development which strengthens efforts towards the promotion of moderation at the national, regional and global levels.

The Asean Declaration is indeed a comprehensive and forward-looking document which clearly enunciates the philosophy and value of moderation as well as provides a flexible framework for action at all levels of our societies.

The Asean Leaders should be highly commended and congratulated for their leadership and vision in stressing that in a complex,  challenging and inter-related world, “moderation guides action which emphasises tolerance, understanding, dialogues, mutual respect and inclusiveness and is a tool to bridge differences and resolve disputes.”

The preambular and operative paragraphs in this important Declaration cover the fundamentals of moderation, both in policy and practice.  It, among others, underscores that “moderation is an all-encompassing approach not only in resolving differences and conflicts peacefully but also for ensuring sustainable and inclusive development and equitable growth as well as promoting social harmony and mutual understanding within the country and region.”

It also reaffirms Asean’s continued commitment to democratic values, good governance, equitable and inclusive economic growth, tolerance and mutual respect and adherence to social justice as means to counter and address the root causes of terrorism, violent extremism and radicalism.

The Declaration, among others, singles out the vital role of education “as an effective means of instilling respect for life, for diversity and the values of moderation, tolerance, non-violence and mutual understanding towards preventing the spread of violent extremism and addressing its root causes.”

The open-ended programme of activities of the GMM endorsed by the  Asean leaders include the convening of the Second International Conference on the Global Movement of Moderates, to be hosted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2015, as well as working towards the adoption of the Year of Moderation at the UN.

The Global Movement of Moderates Foundation hopes to play a central role in the two above mentioned activities, working closely with Asean Governments and peoples to ensure the success of these two initiatives.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or organisation and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.