Key Intra-ASEAN bilateral relationships: Opportunities and challenges

As the ‘first among equals’, Indonesia has been a critical player in managing intra-ASEAN relations, thereby shaping a role and identity for itself that has increased its leadership status in the region and beyond. This chapter examines the opportunities and challenges for security cooperation between Indonesia and three of its significant ASEAN neighbors: Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam. As the three countries differ in important aspects ranging from size, economic development, religion, ethnicity, and the timing of their entry into ASEAN, an examination of Indonesia’s policy toward these three countries will shed much light on how Indonesia intends to approach its fellow ASEAN member-states.