Regional Cooperation: Malay World and the Formation of ASEAN Community

Abstract

Malay world is an area in Southeast Asia that has trade tradition during Islam entered and established. With the arrival of Islam, the region of the Malay world has become the focal point of trade for merchants from all over the world. Islamic trading centers have spread into many areas of the Malay world; from Pasai (now known as Lhokseumawe, in North Aceh) and Aceh (now known as Banda Aceh) on the east to Celebes and Ternate in the west, from Patani in Southern Thailand and Sulu in Phlippineson the North until Banten, Ceribon and Kudus in Indonesia on the South. These trade centers have dominated economic and trade route in Southeast Asia. The arrival of Islam in the region has been able to grow old port towns as well as emergence of new port cities until becoming influential and important trade center. As a result of this is a formation of an Islamic economic power and this is what had to be faced by the western power while expanding their powers in Southeast Asia. This article is focusing on a few important aspects related to the role of trade in the resurrection of the Malay world, different understanding on the concept of Malay world and Archipelago (Nusantara) among the Malaysian and Indonesian society, change or transformation that brought by Islam on the intellectual development of the Malay community, the formation of new association towards the integration of the community in the Malay world under a new entity which referred to as ASEAN community