Report of the 5Th AIPA Caucus

INTRODUCTION

1.The 9th ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) Caucus met from 17 to 20 July 2017 at Fairmont Hotel in Jakarta, Republic of Indonesia.

2.The main agenda of the 9th AIPA Caucus were:

(i)Discussion on the progress made by each AIPA Member Parliament in the Status of Implementation of the Resolutions adopted at the 37th AIPA General Assembly in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar;

(ii)Working Group discussion on Regional Maritime Cooperation;

(iii)Working Group discussion on Peaceful Resolution to Conflicts;

(iv)Working Group discussion on Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES);

(v)Special Session on Developing AIPA Capacity.

LIST OF DELEGATES

3.The 9th AIPA Caucus was attended by 73delegates consisting of 35 members of parliaments and parliamentary staffsfrom 9 AIPA Member Parliaments, AIPA Secretary General and staffs of AIPA Secretariat, representatives from ASEAN Secretariat and Permanent Representative of Thailand to ASEAN, also representatives from Freeland, GIZ-ASEAN Secretariat and USAID. Delegation from the Parliament of the Philippines was unable to attend the meeting and was represented by Her Excellency the Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia.

(List of delegates is attached as Annex A)

COURTESY CALL TO H.E. DR. FADLI ZON, VICE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA

4.Prior to the commencement of the Ninth AIPA Caucus, the Head of Delegations of AIPA Member Parliaments and AIPA Secretary General called on H.E. Dr. Fadli Zon, Vice Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia at the Peacock Lounge, Fairmont Hotel at 08.00 a.m. on Tuesday, 18 July 2017.

5.On behalf of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, H.E.Fadli Zon warmly welcomed the head of delegations and AIPA Secretary General. He further expressed his sincere gratitude for their attendance. He expected for the meeting to run smoothly and provide a contribution towards the creation of ASEAN Community.

6.The Head of Delegations expressed their appreciation to H.E. Fadli Zon and the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia for hosting the 9th AIPA Caucus. They expressed their willingness to actively participate in the meetings.

OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONY

7.The official opening ceremony of the 9th AIPA Caucus commenced at 8:40 a.m. on Tuesday, 18 July 2017 at the Ballroom 3 Fairmont Hotel, Jakarta.

8.National Anthem of Republic of Indonesia “Indonesia Raya” was echoed, followed by the AIPA Anthem.

9.Hon. Mr. Isra Sunthornvut, Secretary General of AIPA delivered his welcome remarks. In his remarks, he highlighted that one of the purpose of this AIPA Caucus is to celebrate the 40th year of its existence. Therefore, it is time for AIPA to make transition, move forward and become more relevant to ASEAN. The ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) has been implemented for the last 1.5 years.AIPA is expected to become the view of the ASEAN people to make AEC stronger. He underlined that AIPA should be the main voice of ASEAN people’s opinion and expression. He hoped that AIPA will keep moving forward and transforming to become pro-active and become the true voice of ASEAN community. He also emphasized that AIPA’s transformation is an evolving process that needs further attention from AIPA parliamentarians as the voice of stakeholders of the people of ASEAN.

10.H.E. Dr. Fadli Zon, Vice Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, delivered his opening address and thereafter declared the 9th AIPA Caucus Meeting to convene. In his remarks, H.E. Dr. Fadli Zon highlighted that the 9th AIPA Caucus is a crucial mechanism to ensure concerted efforts in implementing the commitments made in the General Assembly. He acknowledged a significant development progress made in ASEAN and highlighted the important contribution of parliament in creating ASEAN Community. He also emphasized the significance of the 9th AIPA Caucus Meeting, Strengthening Maritime Cooperation and Peaceful Resolution to Conflicts in ASEAN to ensure regional security and stability, particularly considering the flows of illicit drugs, weapons, and human trafficking along the Southeast Asian waters. He appreciated the development of democratic reform in the region, while also stressed that challenges remain.He also valued the establishments of AIPA initiatives, including the cooperation held by AIPA and the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) which seek regular deliberation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in AIPA Caucus.Further, he briefly explained that a special session on developing AIPA Capacity will be held to seek a preliminary guidance and vision on the future of AIPA as an inseparable part of the ASEAN Community. He reiterated the role of AIPA in law and policy harmonization and in this regard, to pursue regional mechanism for stronger foundation in the creation of equal economic opportunities and prosperity for the people of ASEAN.

(The remarks is attached as Annex B)

11.Pursuant to Article I.(5) of Terms of Reference of the AIPA Caucus, the House of Representatives of Republic of Indonesia nominated H.E. Dr. Fadli Zon, Vice Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, as the Chairperson of the 9th AIPA Caucus. The meeting agreed to the nomination.

FIRST PLENARY SESSION

12.The first plenary session of the 9th AIPA Caucus was held at 09:45 a.m. on Tuesday, 18 July 2017 at Ballroom 3, Fairmont Hotel Jakarta. The meeting was chaired by H.E. Dr. Fadli Zon.

13.Pursuant to Article I.(6) of Terms of Reference of the AIPA Caucus, the Chairperson of the 9th AIPA Caucus nominated Hon. Ms. Htoot May of the Union Assembly of Myanmar, as Vice Chairperson of the 9th AIPA Caucus. The meeting supported the nomination.

14.The Chairperson informed the meeting that Hon. Mr. Isra Sunthornvut, Secretary General of AIPA, is the Secretary of the 9th AIPA Caucus.

15.The Chairperson invited the Heads of Delegations to introduce their delegates attending the 9th AIPA Caucus.

16.The meeting considered and adopted the Agenda and Program of Activities of the 9th AIPA Caucus.

(TheAgenda and Program of Activities are attached as Annex C)

17.The Chairperson informed the meeting that the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia nominated the following names to chair the Working Group Meetings and the Special Session:

1. Hon. Mr. Juliari Batubara for the Working Group 1: Discussion on Regional Maritime Cooperation.
2. Hon. Mr. Dave Akbarshah Fikarno for the Working Group 2: Discussion on Peaceful Resolution to Conflicts.
3. Hon. Mr. Syaifullah Tamliha for the Working Group 3: Discussion on CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).
4. H.E. Mr. Fahri Hamzah for the Special Session on Developing AIPA Capacity.

The meeting supported the nomination.

18.AIPA Member Delegations were invited to present their respective reports on the Status of the Implementation of the 37th AIPA General Assembly Resolutions.

Under Political Matters, the 37th AIPA General Assembly adopted 5 (five) resolutions, including the following 3 (three) resolutions that should be implemented by AIPA Member Parliaments:

a)Resolving Internal and External Challenges Through Democratic Process and Achieving Peace and Stability Through Consultation, Consensus, and Negotiation;

b)Strengthening Cooperation to Ensure Cyber security in ASEAN; and

c)Enhancing Maritime Security Cooperation and Protection of Marine Resources in ASEAN;

Upon which AIPA Member Parliaments encouraged ASEAN Member States to intensify their joint efforts in implementing the UN 2030 Development Agenda. AIPA also urged ASEAN Leaders and AIPA Member Parliaments to keep the region free from nuclear weapons. AIPA also urged ASEAN to set up a common legal framework to ensure cybersecurity and to prevent cybercrime and transnational crime in the region. AIPA also supported the adoption of internationally accepted maritime conventions and principles in supporting marine ecosystem conservation and restoration.

Under Economic Matters, the 37th AIPA General Assembly adopted 3 (three) resolutions as follows:

a)Creating Job Opportunities and Decent Working Conditions in the Process of Enhancing Sustainable Economic Development;

b)Strengthening the Growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Entering and Optimizing the Global Value Chains by Improving Access to Finance and Technology, and Enhancing Productivity and Innovation; and

c)Parliamentary Support for ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Implementation;

Upon which AIPA Member Parliaments agreed to creating an enabling policy and a legal framework based on international labour conventions to protect worker’s rights, eliminate all kinds of abuse and against discrimination in the work place and facilitate the trans-border movement of workers. Recognizing the important role of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as major economic generator in ASEAN, AIPA Member Parliaments urged ASEAN Governments to issue policies in facilitating and supporting MSMEs to increase the competitiveness of national and regional economies. AIPA also encouraged AIPA Member Parliaments to accelerate policy harmonization to support the implementation of ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025.

Under Social Matters, the 37th AIPA General Assembly adopted 4 (four) resolutions as follows:

a)Strengthening Cooperation among AIPA Member Parliaments on Preparedness and Response to Zika Virus Infection;

b)Strengthening Cooperation among AIPA Member Parliaments on the Implementation of Plan of Action to Materialize ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Social Protection;

c)Enhancing Cooperation in Response to Climate Change in ASEAN; and

d)Sustainable Tourism;

Upon which AIPA Member Parliaments agreed to request AIPA member states to institutionalize community-based programs, to activate national preparedness and response mechanisms, and to establish ASEAN Public Health Alert Centre. AIPA Member Parliaments decided to encourage ASEAN Member States to invest more resources to materialize the ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Social Protection. AIPA Member Parliaments also agreed to establish Centres for Climate Change Assistance and Research to enhance cooperation and assistance on disaster preparedness, relief and rehabilitation. On sustainable tourism, AIPA encouraged its Member Parliaments to formulate strict environmental policy for the conservation of natural resources and cultural heritage.

Under WAIPA Matters, the 37th AIPA General Assembly adopted 3 (three) resolutions, including the following 2 (two) resolutions that should be implemented by AIPA Member Parliaments:

a)Decent Work for Women in ASEAN by Promoting Social Protection and Equal Opportunity; and

b)Extending the Maternity Benefits of Working Women in ASEAN;

Upon which AIPA Member Parliaments recognized the urgency of ensuring the rights of migrant workers, unpaid and low paid workers; and agreed to enhance law enforcement in accordance to international conventions, regional agreements, national laws and policies related to labour issues. AIPA Member Parliaments also encouraged ASEAN Member States to implement appropriate policies in supporting maternity protection and to adhere to international standards on extending maternity protection.

The presentations of the reports are highlighted hereunder:

Political Matters

Brunei prioritizes the creation of a peaceful region free from the cause of inter-state conflict and upholding peaceful resolution to conflicts. Brunei is in the process of establishing a government agency for cyber security. Brunei has implemented international instruments to address security threats and take preventive measures against incidents.

Cambodia promotes decentralization priorities for national reform. Cambodia will develop high quality service in information technology to enable better control in cyber security. Peace and stability is among the priorities mentioned in the fifth legislature of the National Assembly (2014-2018). In maritime, Cambodia has formulated Maritime Code in Maritime Transport.

Indonesia is committed to democratic institutional building, including through the war on corruption. Indonesia encouraged the ratification of international instruments for the suppression of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction. Indonesia in 2017 is in the process of establishing the State Cyber and Cypher Agency to promote the development of a resilient and secure cyber ecosystem. In maritime security, Indonesia has taken several initiatives to improve maritime security in the ASEAN waters through coordinated patrols. Indonesia has also ratified several international conventions on maritime security.

In 2015, Lao PDR amended its national constitution and in May 2017 it has amended the Law on Public Security Forces, aimed to strengthen democracy and promoting peace and unity between multi-ethnic people and provide greater support for Lao PDR’s integration to the global community. Lao PDR has adopted several laws to combat cyber-crime, including the law on data protection.

Malaysia has passed several laws to improve national security, including to prevent terrorism, crime act and security offenses. Malaysia is involved in the ongoing discussion on the Framework of Conduct in the South China Sea. The Ministry of Science and Technology Information through Cyber Security Malaysia, which also collaborates with international agencies, has implemented initiatives to enhance cyber security capacity. Malaysia supports and contributes in the discussion of maritime issues under ASEAN-led mechanism and respects the MoU of Common Guidelines.

Myanmar has actively participated in various regional and international mechanisms to improve global and regional security, including the ARF seminar held on 19-23 June 2017 which was co-chaired by EU, USA and Myanmar. Myanmar has ratified the CTBT on 21 September 2016, also acceded in other international conventions on nuclear safety. In ASEAN, Myanmar upholds ASEAN’s agreement to enhance regional maritime security. Currently, Myanmar is in the process of drafting the cyber law to setup a common legal framework, prevent cybercrime and transnational crimes.

The Philippines has enacted laws on amnesty for individuals involved in past political conflicts. Law to prevent cyber bullying has also been adopted. The Philippines formulated a House Bill on Chemical Weapons Prohibition Act to prohibit the development, production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons. In 2012, several bills have been filed for the enactment of Maritime Code.

Singapore in April 2017 passed the computer misuse and cyber security amendment bill which include criminalizing personal data theft. Singapore has also adopted a law to prevent the transfer of harmful marine species and pathogens from one marine environment to another. The prevention of pollution of the sea is among the priorities accommodated in its national laws.

Viet Nam has issued the Decision 898 to improve national mechanism for cyber security, including on electronic transactions. Viet Nam continues to enhance technical regulation and assessment for cyber security.

Economic Matters

Brunei focuses on human capital development through robust educational system relevant to the needs of the job market. Brunei will continue to create sound economic environment for business and investments. Both local and migrant workers in Brunei are regulated under the Labour Act, promoting the protection of the rights of workers. Brunei drives human capital development to enable Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to succeed, including assisting MSMEs to take part in both regional and international markets.

Creating jobs and improving working condition are the long term goals for Cambodia. Both technical and vocational education will be enhanced to improve the skill of the future workers as required in a globalized world. Cambodia also committed to promote the development of SMEs and optimizing the role of SMEs in the global value chain by improving access in financing and conducting reforms in the commercial procedure for SMEs. Cambodia integration into the sub-regional and regional community mechanism will provide more opportunities to enhance its economic capabilities.

Indonesia has signed the Indonesia Jobs Pact, a national adoption of the ILO Global Jobs Pact. Indonesia has also ratified eight ILO fundamental conventions. Indonesia is committed to improve the work option for people in rural areas. Indonesia supports the implementation of ASEAN Strategic Action Plan for SME Development (SAP SMED) 2016-2025 to promote MSMEs competitiveness. The Indonesian House of Representatives has established a Working Group on ASEAN Economic Community, which also focuses on SMEs development.

Lao PDR has adopted the national socio-economic development plan and amended the Law on Education to promote employment and vocational skills development, including encouraging the use of English language. Lao PDR has also amended Law on Investment Promotion to support MSMEs and provide incentives in many areas of technological and rural development. Lao PDR is committed to improve its infrastructure to provide better connectivity in regional integration.

Malaysia is committed to maintain full employment rate and new job creations by providing up-skilling, re-skilling and multi-skilling programs. Malaysia established the Special Innovation Unit (UNIK) under the Prime Minister’s Department to assist SMEs in innovation. Malaysia supports the proposal for adequate budget to promote and implement the AEC. The AEC Blueprint 2015 has been successfully implemented in the country.

Myanmar enacted the Settlement of Labour Dispute Law to encourage good relationship between employers and workers. Several other regulations have been adopted to promote better working condition, including the legal framework on minimum wage.

Several laws and regulations have been adopted in the Philippines to promote labour protection in the private sector, informal economy, and outsourced workers. The Philippines is committed to promote, develop and assist MSMEs through the creation of a development council, and the rationalization of government assistance programs and agencies. ASEAN Integration Plan Act has also been adopted to ensure the successful implementation of AEC.

Singapore has various programs to help SMEs build up their capabilities in the digital world, also exercise efforts to increase their productivity and innovation capacity. Singapore is committed to improve trade facilitation in the region as an inseparable part of regional economic integration.

Thailand continuouslyreviews and enhances domestic laws to promote tangible and sustainable working environment. Thailand supports SME development in accordance to the ASEAN Action Plan and encourages the acceleration of theASEANsingle window.

Viet Nam is one of world’s top countries with low unemployment rate. Viet Nam has implemented several policies to develop vocational training and improve salary systems. Trained workers in Viet Nam reached 53% or nearly 1.5 million people. In 2016, Viet Nam focused on building and improving institutions, mechanism, and policies to improve SMEs’ competitiveness. As many as 50 Decrees have been amended to improve business condition.Viet Nam continues to strive for creating a sound business environment to ensure uniform standards in accordance to the AEC Blueprint, including through the adoption of Investment Law, Bankruptcy Law, Enterprise Law, and SMEs Law.