A Focal Point of Coordination: A Case Study of the ASEAN-Indonesia National Secretariat’s Coordination Efforts

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21512/jas.v13i1.12398

Keywords:

ASEAN-Indonesia National Secretariat, ASEAN Charter, Indonesian government, policy transfer, democratic foreign policy making

Abstract

The research assessed the internalization of the 2007 Charter of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or the ASEAN Charter into national legislation, particularly on the mandate stipulated in Article 13, to establish an ASEAN National Secretariat for each ASEAN member state. The case study provided an overview of the ASEAN-Indonesia National Secretariat, to examine the regional-level to national-level policy transfer of ASEAN cooperation adopted by the Indonesian government and demonstrates the democratic foreign policy-making process in Indonesia. A qualitative content analysis was applied to assess the official and legal documents regarding the ASEAN-Indonesia National Secretariat. The research finds that the Indonesian statutory provisions stipulate that the ASEAN-Indonesia National Secretariat is a focal point of coordination for ASEAN cooperation in Indonesia, where the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the main supporting unit and functions as a public relation for advocating ASEAN awareness of the Indonesian people. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on international relations and public administration, where Indonesia’s experience in constructing a coordinated policy network among governmental institutions for the implementation of ASEAN regional commitments in domestic settings could be a model for other ASEAN member states or other regional framework.

Dimensions

Plum Analytics

Author Biography

Janita Jaya, Waseda University

Janita JAYA is a PhD student at the Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies (GSAPS) of Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan, with a Monbukagakusho/MEXT Research Student Scholarship. She holds an MSc degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from Leiden University, which is a joint program with The Clingendael Institute, The Hague, the Netherlands, and a Studeren in Nederland (StuNed) scholarship awardee (2015-2017) for her master’s studies. She has a BA in Communication Studies from the LSPR Institute of Communication and Business, Jakarta, Indonesia. The author is also a staff member of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia.

Conflict of Interest Declaration: The author is a staff member of the Directorate-General of ASEAN Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia during a study secondment at the current educational institution. However, the views and opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any organization involved in this research.  

References

Acharya, A. (2004). How ideas spread: Whose norms matter? Norm localization and institutional change in Asian regionalism. International Organization, 58(2), 239–275. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0020818304582024

Acharya, A. (2014). Constructing a security community in Southeast Asia: ASEAN and the problem of regional order (3rd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315796673

Acharya, A. (2021). ASEAN and regional order: Revisiting security community in Southeast Asia (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003122333

Aggarwal, V. K., & Chow, J. T. (2010). The perils of consensus: How ASEAN’s meta-regime undermines economic and environmental cooperation. Review of International Political Economy, 17(2), 262–290. https://doi.org/10.1080/09692290903192962

ASEAN. (n.d.-a). ASEAN Chairmanship. https://asean.org/category/chairmanship/

ASEAN. (n.d.-b). External Relations – Overview. https://asean.org/our-communities/asean-political-security-community/outward-looking-community/external-relations/

ASEAN. (n.d.-c). National focal point. https://asean.org/national-focal-point/

ASEAN. (n.d.-d). ASEAN sectoral ministerial bodies. https://asean.org/who-we-work-with/asean-sectoral-ministerial-bodies/

ASEAN. (2008). The ASEAN Charter. https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/images/archive/publications/ASEAN-Charter.pdf

ASEAN. (2015). ASEAN 2025: Melangkah maju bersama (Kementerian Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia, Trans). Sekretariat Nasional ASEAN-Indonesia. https://setnasasean.kemlu.go.id/site/uploads/document/book/599e3d513d507-asean-2025-melangkah-maju-bersama.pdf

ASEAN. (2022, November 10). ASEAN Leaders’ Statement on the Application of Timor-Leste for ASEAN Membership. https://asean.org/asean-leaders-statement-on-the-application-of-timor-leste-for-asean-membership/

ASEAN. (2023). List of ASEAN Directors-General (as of January 2023). https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Distribution-List-ASEAN-DGs-as-of-Jan-2023.pdf

ASEAN-Indonesia National Secretariat. (n.d.). Tentang Setnas – Indonesia. Retrieved April 18, 2025, from https://setnasasean.kemlu.go.id/tentang-setnas

BBPMP Jawa Timur. (2023, January 8). Buku bahan pengajaran ASEAN bagi pendidikan dasar. https://bbpmpjatim.kemdikbud.go.id/jelita/buku-bahan-pengajaran-asean-bagi-pendidikan-dasar

Bulmer, S., & Padgett, S. (2005). Policy transfer in the European Union: An institutionalist perspective. British Journal of Political Science, 35(1), 103–126. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007123405000050

Caballero-Anthony, M. (2022). The ASEAN way and the changing security environment: navigating challenges to informality and centrality. International Politics, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41311-022-00400-0

Dolowitz, D., & Marsh, D. (1996). Who learns what from whom: A review of the policy transfer literature. Political Studies, 44(2), 343–357. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9248.1996.tb00334.x

Government of Timor-Leste. (2016, March 21). Timor-Leste making all necessary preparations for ASEAN membership. Government of Timor-Leste. http://timor-leste.gov.tl/?p=14835&lang=en

Hammond, T. H., & Prins, B. C. (2006). Domestic veto institutions, divided government, and the status quo: A spatial model of two-level games with complete information. In R. Pahre (Ed.), Democratic foreign policy making: Problems of divided government and international cooperation (pp. 21–82). Palgrave Macmillan US. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230601444_2

Indorf, H. H. (1975). ASEAN: Problems and prospects. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies

Jetschke, A. (2017). What drives institutional reforms in regional organisations? Diffusion, contextual conditions, and the modular design of ASEAN. TRaNS: Trans -Regional and -National Studies of Southeast Asia, 5(1), 173–196. https://doi.org/10.1017/trn.2016.30

Kementrian Luar Negeri Indonesia. (n.d.). Struktur organisasi. https://kemlu.go.id/tentang-kami/struktur-organisasi

Kementerian Sekretariat Negara Republik Indonesia. (2023, February 21). Jalin kolaborasi, Kemensetneg dan Kemenlu gelar public outreach dan public engagement keketuaan ASEAN Indonesia 2023. https://www.setneg.go.id/baca/index/jalin_kolaborasi_kemensetneg_dan_kemenlu_gelar_public_outreach_dan_public_engagement_keketuan_asean_indonesia_2023

Limsiritong, N., Springall, A., & Rojanawanichkij, O. (2019). The Difficulty of ASEAN Decision Making Mode on South China Sea Dispute: The ASEAN Charter Perspective. Asian Political Science Review, 3(1), 25–33.

Menteri Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia. (2014). Peraturan Menteri Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia nomor 2 tahun 2014 tentang Organisasi dan Tata Kerja Sekretariat Nasional The Association of Southeast Asian Nations di Indonesia [Ministerial Regulations of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry No. 2/2014 concerning the Organization and Work procedures of the ASEAN-Indonesia National Secretariat]. Sekretariat Nasional ASEAN. https://setnasasean.kemlu.go.id/site/uploads/document/document/59911b990c9b2-permenlu-no-02-tahun-2014.pdf

Menteri Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia. (2021). Peraturan Menteri Luar Negeri nomor 6 tahun 2021 tentang Organisasi dan Tata Kerja Kementerian Luar Negeri [Ministerial Regulations of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry No. 6/2021 concerning the Organization and Work Procedures of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs]. Database Peraturan JDIH BPK. https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/218846/permenlu-no-6-tahun-2021

Menteri Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia. (2022a). Keputusan Menteri Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia nomor 06/B/KA/VII/2022/01 tahun 2022 tentang Rincian Susunan Keanggotaan Sekretariat Nasional Perhimpunan Bangsa-Bangsa Asia Tenggara (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations) [Ministerial Decree of Indonesian Foreign Ministry No. 06/B/KA/VII/2022/01]. Sekretariat Nasional ASEAN https://setnasasean.kemlu.go.id/site/uploads/document/document/669dddffa9d07-salinan-kepmenlu-rincian-susunan-keanggotaan-setnas-asean.pdf

Menteri Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia. (2022b). Peraturan Menteri Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia nomor 1 tahun 2022 tentang penyelenggaraan rapat dan mekanisme koordinasi Sekretariat Nasional Perhimpunan Bangsa-Bangsa Asia Tenggara (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations) [Ministerial Regulations of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry No. 1/2022 the Implementation of Meetings and Coordination Mechanisms of ASEAN National Secretariat]. Sekretariat Nasional ASEAN. https://setnasasean.kemlu.go.id/site/uploads/document/document/637705bf35846-peraturan-menteri-luar-negeri-no-1-tahun-2022.pdf

Menteri Luar Negeri Republik Indonesia. (2025). Peraturan Menteri Luar Negeri Nomor 4 Tahun 2025 tentang Organisasi dan Tata Kerja Kementerian Luar Negeri [Ministerial Regulations of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry No. 4/2025 concerning the Organization and Work Procedures of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs]. Database Peraturan JDIH BPK. https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/316994/permenlu-no-4-tahun-2025

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malaysia. (2022, Jun 17). Organisational Structure - Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malaysia. https://www.kln.gov.my/web/guest/organisational-structure

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Malaysia. (2023, September 27). ASEAN-Malaysia National Secretariat https://www.kln.gov.my/web/guest/asean-malaysia-national-secretariat

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Brunei Darussalam. (2018). ASEAN Department. https://www.mfa.gov.bn/Pages/departments-ASEAN.aspx

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Thailand. (2019). ASEAN – Thailand National Secretariat.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Thailand. (2020). Organization Detail - Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Thailand. https://www.mfa.go.th/en/organization?menu=5d5bd3cb15e39c306002a973

Müller, L. M. (2023). In the shadow of the member states: Policy-making agency by the ASEAN secretariat and dialogue partners. Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-9386-2

Narine, S. (2017). ASEAN and the Challenge of Multilateralism in the Asia Pacific. In T.-K. Chang & A. Chang (Eds.), Routledge Handbook of Asia in World Politics (pp. 143–157). Routledge.

Natalegawa, M. (2018). Does ASEAN matter?: A view from within. ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.

Negara Republik Indonesia. (2008). Undang-undang (UU) nomor 38 tahun 2008 tentang pengesahan Charter of The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Piagam Perhimpunan Bangsa-Bangsa Asia Tenggara) [Law of the Republic of Indonesia No. 38/2008 on the Ratification of the ASEAN Charter]. Database Peraturan JDIH BPK. https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/39712/uu-no-38-tahun-2008

Pahre, R. (2006). Divided government and international cooperation: An overview. In R. Pahre (Ed.), Democratic foreign policy making: Problems of divided government and international cooperation (pp. 1–19). Palgrave Macmillan New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230601444_1

Pitakdumrongkit, K. (2016). Managing ASEAN’s external relations via the country coordinator: Lessons learned from Thailand. https://www.rsis.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/PR160222_Managing-ASEAN-External-Relations.pdf

Presiden Republik Indonesia. (2012). Keputusan Presiden Republik Indonesia nomor 23 tahun 2012 tentang Susunan Keanggotaan Sekretariat Nasional the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Indonesia [Indonesian Presidential Decree No. 23/2012 on the Members of the ASEAN-Indonesia National Secretariat]. Sekretariat Nasional ASEAN. https://setnasasean.kemlu.go.id/site/uploads/document/document/5eccbda7c84a5-5a7811ff39e82-susunan-keanggotaan-setnas-asean-indonesia.pdf

Presiden Republik Indonesia. (2020). Peraturan Presiden Republik Indonesia nomor 53 tahun 2020 tentang Sekretariat Nasional Perhimpunan Bangsa-Bangsa Asia Tenggara (The Association of Southeast Asian Nations) [Indonesian Presidential Regulations No. 53/2020 on ASEAN-Indonesia National Secretariat]. Sekretariat Nasional ASEAN. https://setnasasean.kemlu.go.id/site/uploads/document/document/5eb4ebd843be3-salinan-perpres-nomor-53-tahun-2020.pdf

PTRI ASEAN. (2025). Tentang PTRI ASEAN. Kementerian Luar Negeri Indonesia. https://kemlu.go.id/ptri-asean/tentang-perwakilan/tentang-ptri-asean

Roberts, C. B. (2012). ASEAN regionalism: Cooperation, values and institutionalisation (1st ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203181041

Rüland, J. (2009). Deepening ASEAN cooperation through democratization? The Indonesian legislature and foreign policymaking. International Relations of the Asia-Pacific, 9(3), 373–402. https://doi.org/10.1093/irap/lcp010

Rüland, J. (2017). Democratizing foreign-policy making in Indonesia and the democratization of ASEAN: A role theory analysis. TRaNS: Trans -Regional and -National Studies of Southeast Asia, 5(1), 49–73. https://doi.org/10.1017/trn.2016.26

Sekretariat Kabinet Republik Indonesia. (2022, June 11). Persiapan keketuaan Indonesia di ASEAN tahun 2023. https://setkab.go.id/persiapan-keketuaan-indonesia-di-asean-tahun-2023/

Setiawan, A. (2021, September 9). Mengenalkan kembali ASEAN ke pelajar. Indonesia.go.id. https://indonesia.go.id/kategori/budaya/3207/mengenalkan-kembali-asean-ke-pelajar

Simon, S. W. (1995). Realism and neoliberalism: International relations theory and Southeast Asian security. The Pacific Review, 8(1), 5–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/09512749508719123

Stone, D., de Oliveira, O. P., & Pal, L. A. (2020). Transnational policy transfer: The circulation of ideas, power and development models. Policy and Society, 39(1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/14494035.2019.1619325

United Nations (2005). Vienna convention on diplomatic relations, 1961. United Nations. https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/9_1_1961.pdf

Wahyuningrum, Y. (2013). Civil society engagement with the secretary-general of ASEAN, the ASEAN Secretariat, CPR and AICHR [PowerPoint slides]. SlideShare. https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/civil-society-enaggement-with-the-sg-of-asean-the-asean-secretariat-and/27836103

Wunderlich, J. U. (2012). Comparing regional organisations in global multilateral institutions: ASEAN, the EU and the UN. Asia Europe Journal, 10(2), 127–143. https://doi.org/10.1007/S10308-012-0324-4

Zartner, D. (2010). Internalization of International Law. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of International Studies. https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780190846626.013.225

Downloads

Published

2025-09-19

How to Cite

Jaya, J. (2025). A Focal Point of Coordination: A Case Study of the ASEAN-Indonesia National Secretariat’s Coordination Efforts. JAS (Journal of ASEAN Studies), 13(1), 139–160. https://doi.org/10.21512/jas.v13i1.12398
Abstract 149  .
PDF downloaded 50  .