The Maritime Crescent

Issue 4

Jul 02, 2025

by Nabil Haskanbancha, in Bangkok

In Issue 4 of the Maritime Crescent, we look at how countries advance national and regional interests by promoting AI integration, startup culture, and new political agreements. The longstanding maritime dispute between Indonesia and Malaysia centers on overlapping claims to Ambalat (in the Celebes Sea), an area rich in oil and gas. Our Indonesia correspondent explores how bilateral agreements often take precedence over multilateral agreements in matters such as resource management. In Malaysia, the launch of the Startup ASEAN Platform aims to support over 10,000 startups this year by improving digital infrastructure. This plan also aligns with Malaysia’s digital connectivity goals as Chair of ASEAN 2025. In Brunei, the integration of AI-powered technology into the national university’s flagship academic journal supports the work of current academics and future scholars in managing their publications–setting a precedent for academic innovations across the region.

Indonesia 🇮🇩

The Ambalat Doctrine: ASEAN’s New Blueprint or a Pandora’s Box?

by Hree Putri Samudra, in Jakarta

The handshake on June 27, 2025 between Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto and Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim to jointly develop the Ambalat block was a clear display of pragmatic statecraft in action. Born from the ashes of decades of recurring naval standoffs and legal deadlock, this "Ambalat Doctrine" dictates that bilateral deals can supersede international law and multilateral norms for the sake of progress. For ASEAN, this presents a dangerous paradox: the very model that offers a blueprint for resolving internal disputes could be the one that unravels the bloc's collective power on the world stage.

On the one hand, the case for this model is compelling from a hard-power perspective. By neutralizing a major intra-ASEAN irritant, the Indonesian-Malaysian dispute over the Ambalat block, it immediately allows for a critical reallocation of strategic assets. Indonesian naval and air resources, previously tied down monitoring a friendly border in the Celebes Sea, can now be fully redeployed to face more tangible threats in the Natuna Sea. For defense planners in Jakarta, this is not a trivial gain; it is a fundamental improvement to the national security posture. Furthermore, proponents would argue the agreement forges a solid southern strategic axis between Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur. This tangible, powerful sub-regional alignment, they would contend, is far more valuable for regional stability than the often-paralyzed consensus of the broader ten-member bloc, especially when confronting the unending crisis in Myanmar.

Yet, this model of hyper-efficient bilateralism carries significant, perhaps fatal, risks. Firstly, it implicitly devalues the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the region's indispensable legal framework. For a bloc whose leverage is purely normative, not military, this is akin to diplomatic disarmament. It weakens ASEAN’s collective high ground against Beijing, whose strategy has always been to dismiss the 2016 arbitration ruling and push for bilateral talks. Secondly, it creates a two-tiered ASEAN, where larger states cut deals while smaller members, like the Philippines, facing down Chinese water cannons at Second Thomas Shoal, are left strategically isolated. This fractures the very concept of ASEAN Centrality, rendering the bloc’s solidarity moot when it is needed most.

Ultimately, the Ambalat Doctrine forces a fundamental reckoning of what ASEAN truly is. Is it a political bloc, defined by the difficult, messy work of upholding a rules-based order? Or is it merely a club of neighbors, where the most powerful are free to prioritize individual deals? The path its leaders now choose will determine whether “ASEAN Centrality” is a meaningful strategy for the 21st century, or just a quaint slogan for a bygone era.

Hree serves as Project Associate for Asia and the Pacific at the Global Network of Women Peacebuilders (GNWP), where she leads multi-country initiatives integrating Women, Peace and Security (WPS), and Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) frameworks into security policies across ASEAN and South Asia. She is also a Non-Resident Fellow at the University of Glasgow’s Atomic Anxiety in the New Nuclear Age program. Previously, she served as Chair of the Humanitarian Disarmament and Inclusive Governance Working Group at the British American Security Information Council (BASIC), advocating for more accountable and inclusive nuclear policy frameworks.

Malaysia 🇲🇾

Malaysia Launches ASEAN Digital Platform to Boost 10,000 Startups by the end of 2025

by Edrina Lisa Ozaidi, in WP Kuala Lumpur

Despite ongoing progress in digital adoption plans and goals, ASEAN continues to face infrastructure disparities. Issues such as uneven internet connectivity, varying broadband speeds, and high internet costs across member states, particularly in less developed areas, limit the potential of many new startups, especially those that rely on digital infrastructure, to expand. Such disparities highlight the need for greater integration of market opportunities to foster inclusive growth in the region.

To help push toward a more dynamic regional economy, on June 26, 2025, Malaysia launched the Startup ASEAN Platform (SAP) under its 2025 ASEAN Chairmanship. Designed to integrate and empower startups across member states, this step reflects the country’s commitment to promoting innovation across Southeast Asia.

SAP serves as a “one-stop hub”, offering direct access to a wealth of resources on topics ranging from regional market openings and crucial funding opportunities to robust investor networks, talent development initiatives, and invaluable ecosystem insights. It also aims to reduce fragmentation in the business outlook for entrepreneurs in the region by bridging gaps in market access, funding, talent, and data across ASEAN.

This digital gateway initiative will be spearheaded by Malaysia’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and implemented by Cradle Fund Sdn Bhd. According to MOSTI Minister Chang Lih Kang, this platform is more than just a digital portal–it serves as a “strategic enabler” to push for more collaboration between member countries to address challenges in the region’s business infrastructure.

The recent launch also marks the first milestone under the ASEAN Technology Startup Ignite 2025 initiative, which aims to onboard at least 10,000 startups by the end of this year, building on 5,000 already active startups on the platform. Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke, CEO of Cradle Fund Group, said that the platform aims to host regional programs to strengthen cross-border relations and collaborations, while including dialogue partners such as South Korea and China.

With an integrated digital platform made available for entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem builders, Malaysia can play a catalytic role in unlocking more opportunities for startups to access the broader ASEAN market. This not only reinforces ASEAN's position as an internationally recognised hub for new and emerging ventures, but also supports the goals outlined in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Strategic Plan 2026-2030. A plan that pushes for a seamless market, driven by innovation, sustainability, and productivity, while supporting the region’s aspiration to be the world’s fourth-largest economy.

Edrina is a communications professional with a background in international relations. She holds a degree from the University of Nottingham Malaysia and has worked across public relations and social media for organizations in the development, education, and corporate sectors. Her work focuses on crafting narratives around regional affairs and strengthening media engagement across Southeast Asia.

Brunei Darussalam 🇧🇳

Brunei and AI: Modernising Research and Navigating ASEAN’s Digital Future

by Syimah Johari, in Bandar Seri Begawan

Brunei is gradually advancing its AI development efforts, taking cautious but strategic steps to integrate the technology into research and policymaking. A recent example is the ASEAN Journal of Science and Technology Development (AJSTD), managed by Universiti Brunei Darussalam, the country’s leading university, with growing research capabilities in emerging technologies. As a regional platform focused on sharing research and breakthroughs in science and technology, AJSTD reflects Brunei’s commitment to playing an active role in regional AI growth. Just recently, at the 21^st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Science, Technology, and Innovation (AMMSTI-21), Minister of Transport and Infocommunications (MTIC) Pengiran Dato Seri Setia Shamhary bin Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Mustapha, who led Brunei’s delegation, highlighted the integration of AI into Universiti Brunei Darussalam’s academic journal, setting a strong precedent for other countries to support future scholars through advanced technology.

AI integration into AJSTD aims to modernize how research is evaluated and published. This is increasingly relevant as it aligns with Brunei’s commitment to making research more widely accessible, both domestically and across Southeast Asia. Not to mention, it can also provide hands-on experience with AI tools, allowing policymakers and institutions to familiarize themselves with the technology and better understand its potential for future national initiatives. While still in the early stages, discussions about AI are growing, as the technology is expected to play a key role in the country’s next Digital Economy Masterplan.

Other ASEAN countries have rapidly begun adopting AI. Thailand, for instance, began fostering long-term cooperation between the government, universities, and research institutions as early as the 1970s, laying the foundation for today’s AI adoption. In Singapore, consistent investments from both the public and private sectors have driven AI development since 2019.

Brunei’s more cautious pace may pave the way for more stable and sustainable outcomes in the long run. With greater knowledge on the use of AI, the country can fully understand and develop clear guidelines and frameworks, as well as build public trust, which is essential to long-term adoption. Furthermore, this approach gives more room for discussion, learning, and adjustment. It gives Brunei the chance to learn from the experiences of other countries, while also shaping its own AI policies to best serve its people.

As regional ambitions around AI continue to intensify, Brunei’s AI adoption efforts align with ASEAN’s long-term vision under the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology and Innovation (APASTI) 2026-2035, which aims to build a region connected through science, technology and innovation. Brunei’s gradual AI advancement does not take away from the country’s commitment; in fact, it can lead to more meaningful and well-planned progress. But with other ASEAN countries moving quickly, it is worth asking whether Brunei will be able to keep up.

Syimah is a graduate of King’s College London with a BA in International Relations. With a strong focus on diplomacy, regional cooperation, and development policy, she is passionate about contributing to meaningful change through public service. Currently, she is involved in poverty alleviation work through a local NGO.

Editorial Deadline 29/06/2025 11:59 PM (UTC +8)