Sovereign powers in South Asian countries lie in the hands of authoritarian govt: Prof Askandar
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, June 11 2014:
Prof Kamarulzaman Askandar of University Sains, Pinang, Malaysia, said here on Tuesday the absolute sovereign powers of South East Asian countries are in the hands of the authoritarian governments of their respective capital regions.
Prof Askandar was delivering the 9th Arambam Samarendra Memorial Lecture at MDU Hall, Yaiskul Police lane.
He said barring Malaysia, the remaining countries of South East Asia have witnessed brut supremacy enjoyed by their governments at the capital regions.
The absolute decision-making power lies in the hands of the major communities in these regions where sovereign powers have remained concentrated in the capital regions, he added.
As to the implementation of welfare policies for public in these countries, Prof Askandar explained that there has been an increase in totalitarian policies for promoting the central governments.
Askandar further said now a conflict of interest is there between the people and their governments in the former colonial countries of South East Asia except Thailand over human rights issue.
He asserted such conflicts are caused by forced merger of small states by larger states in nation formation after these states were free from colonialism.
Dr L Debabrata Roy, president of Older Council; social activist Arambam Lokendra, Pradeep Phanjoubam, editor of Imphal Free Press; Dr Immanuel Zarzosang Varte, president of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University were also present and spoke on the occasion.