NYJC 2008 HIS H2 P2 Preliminary Exam

History of Southeast Asia Nanyang Junior College Preliminary Examination 2008 Page 1 of 4 Preliminary Examination 2008 HISTORY H2 9731 History of Southeast Asia c1900 – 1997 DURATION 3 hours INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES Write your name, Civics Tutorial group and in dex number in the spac es provided on the answer paper. Answer four (4) questions. Answer the Source-Based Question in Section A, and any three Essay Questions in Section B. Tie and submit all answers together. Write your answers on the separate answer paper provided. If you use more than one sheet of paper, fasten the sheets together. You are reminded to be punctilious in your us e of proper English, and veracious in the presentation of your answers. _____________________________________________________ This question paper consists of 4 printed pages

History of Southeast Asia Nanyang Junior College Preliminary Examination 2008 Page 2 of 4 SECTION A: SOURCE-BASED QUESTION The question in this section is compulsory. TRANSNATIONAL CRIME IN ASEAN 1. Read the sources and then answer the question. Source A CONCERNED about the pernicious effects of transnational crime, such as terrorism, illicit drug trafficking, arms smuggling, money launde ring, traffic in pers ons and piracy on regional stability and development, the maintenance of the rule of law and the welfare of the region’s peoples…[ASEAN ha s] resolved to c onfront the problem of transnational crime through the following measures: 1. Strengthen the commitment of Member Count ries to cooperate at the regional level in combating the transnational crime; …. 3. Hold discussions with a view to signi ng mutual legal assistance agreements, bilateral treaties, memorandum of unders tanding or other arrangements among Member Countries; 4. Consider the establishment of an ASEA N Centre on Transnational Crime (ACOT) which will coordinate regional effort s against transnational crime through intelligence sharing, harmonisation of policies and coordination of operations; … 11. Strengthen the ASEAN Secretariat’s capacity to assist the Member Countries in initiating, planning, and coordinating activities, strategies, programmes and projects to combat transnational crime. ASEAN Declaration on Transnational Crime, 20 December 1997. Source B ASEAN has been fostering cooperation to comb at transnational crime for more than two decades. ASEAN was initially concerned with the abuse of narcotics and trafficking in illegal drugs. However, with the expansion and diversification of transnational crime to include terrorism, arms smuggling, money la undering, illegal migration, and piracy, and the highly organised nature of such crimes, ASEAN has intensified its efforts to fight these crimes. ASEAN’s resolve to fight transnationa l crime can be traced to the Declaration of ASEAN Concord of 24 February 1976. The declaration signed by the Heads of Government/State of the founding member countries of ASEAN, called for the intensification of cooperation among member countries and with re levant international bodies to prevent and eradicate narcotics abuse and the illegal trafficking of drugs. It also called for the study on developing judicial cooperation including the possibility of an ASEAN extradition treaty. From a paper by S Pushpanathan, Assistant Director, ASEAN Secretariat, presented at a conference on crime prevention and criminal justice, November 1999.

History of Southeast Asia Nanyang Junior College Preliminary Examination 2008 Page 3 of 4 Source C For centuries South East Asia has grown and sold narcotics. Today, the focal point of illicit drug production and trade is known as the “Golde n Triangle”, a relatively lawless territory where Myanmar, Thailand and Laos meet. Myanmar is the world’s second largest producer of illicit opium, behind only Afghanista n. Ethnic minorities living in the remote mountainous areas of the country depend on opi um poppy cultivation to survive and are generally under the power of insurgent groups. Already, the production and sale of amphetamine-type stimulants is emerging and could surpass opium trade. There exists a series of penalties for drug offenders including death under certain circumstances and three year jail terms fo r unregistered drug users. Myanmar is also engaged in sub-regional cooperation, and has established a working relationship with the respective narcotic control bodies in China a nd Thailand. Nevertheless, due to internal conflicts and a poor economy Myanmar continue s to be a weak link in the supply control chain and faces future drug problems without development resources for opium farmers. From the Drug Policy Alliance Network, an American anti-narcotic organisation. Source D The problem of transnational crime in Southeast Asia is severe. Drug trafficking is perhaps the most serious transnational criminal probl em faced by the regional states. All these groups take advantage of corrupt officials a nd politicians as well as weak governmental institutions and law enforcement agencies to broaden their actions and increase their profits. Yet ASEAN limited its focus from 1976 until 1997 to the abuse and illegal trafficking of drugs. It was the start of an in stitutional process against transnational crime, which would remain confined for 21 years to the issue of narcotics. The ASEAN decision to cooperate against drug trafficking partly resulted from strong US pressure. [It was only] by the mid 1990’s that the ASEAN countries were forced to recognise that in addition to drug trafficking, other forms of tr ansnational crime had become a threat to regional development and stability. At the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting of July 1996, the foreign ministers called for the urgent need to tackle transnational problems to prevent them from undermining the long-term viability of the member states. “The Securitisation of Transnational Crime in ASEAN”, Ralf Emmers, Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies (Singapore), November 2002 Now answer the following question: How far do Sources A – D show that, up to 1997, ASEAN has not taken the issue of transnational crime, in all its forms, within the organisation seriously?

History of Southeast Asia Nanyang Junior College Preliminary Examination 2008 Page 4 of 4 SECTION B: ESSAY QUESTIONS Choose and answer any three questions from this section. You must draw examples from at least three countries to support each answer. 2. “The independence of the Sout heast Asian states was principally the result of actions undertaken by foreign powers, and had very little to do with the actions of the indigenous nationalist movements.” How far do you agree with this statement? 3. Were the indigenous nationalist movements in Southeast Asia organised more in pursuit of local aspirations, or foreign ideologies? 4. How valid is it to suggest that Southeas t Asia’s history from 1945–97 proves that centralised, authoritarian govern ment under tight central cont rol is the most effective form of government in the region? 5. “The actions of all the major players invol ved in the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997 were, at the time of the crisis, rational, pred ictable, and reasonable, and thus the crisis should have come as no surprise to anyone.” How valid is this viewpoint? 6. Assess the effect of the insistence of ASEAN and each of its member states’ governments on maintaining absolute nationa l sovereignty on the integration of the ASEAN member states as a region.