Transparency and accountability in security policy: a study on the implementation of good governance in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Security governance in Southeast Asia, particularly under ASEAN, is evolving amid pressures of  regional cooperation and domestic political constraints. ASEAN member states strive to align national  security policies with good governance principles like transparency and accountability but face  challenges from historical legacies, institutional limitations, and geopolitical sensitivities. The ASEAN  Political-Security Community (APSC) provides a normative framework aiming for cooperative security  based on mutual respect, rule of law, and democratic governance. Yet implementation is uneven.  Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines have made efforts such as publishing defense white papers  and engaging in multilateral forums. However, these lack strong accountability mechanisms in areas  like military budgeting, internal security operations, and intelligence oversight. ASEAN’s principle of  non-interference restricts enforcement of governance standards. This limits the organization’s ability  to address issues such as human rights abuses, corruption in the security sector, and weakening  civilian control over the military. As a result, civil society engagement and public scrutiny remain  limited. Still, ASEAN’s consensus-driven model and platforms like the APSC offer entry points for  reform. Trust-building, peer reviews, and shared transparency norms could enable gradual progress.  Yet such change relies on member states’ political will and stronger domestic institutions supporting  democratic values. Improving transparency and accountability in ASEAN’s security governance is not  only a normative goal but a strategic necessity. It fosters trust, strengthens state legitimacy, and  contributes to regional peace. Thus, institutional capacity building, broader civil society involvement,  and promotion of regional norms must be prioritized in ASEAN’s evolving security framework