Singapore (VNA) – The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) should be more proactive in brain-storming among lawmakers in the region on how to collectively cope with COVID-19, said a Singaporean scholar.

ASEAN needs new law concerning travel bubbles and quarantine exemption for frequent travellers, Dr. Termsak Chalermpalanupap, who is a visiting fellow with ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, told Vietnam News Agency ahead the 41st AIPA General Assembly which will be held virtually by Vietnam from September 8 – 10.

“Another pressing issue confronting many ASEAN societies, certainly in Vietnam and Thailand, is the arrogance of Facebook and Western-owned social media platforms in skirting domestic laws and promoting dissent under the pretext of freedom of speech,” he said. 

Chalermpalanupap urged ASEAN member states' legislators under AIPA should come together to figure out how to formulate new common laws to protect regional social harmony and to tax these operators of highly lucrative social media platforms.

He said he is confident that Vietnamese lawmakers are fully aware of the need for all legislatures in ten ASEAN members to coordinate their domestic laws and to harmonize them with regional commitments in ASEAN.

“Legislators need to keep track of all ASEAN agreements signed by leaders and ministers,” he continued, “they are not self-executing; they mostly need ratification so that they are legally binding in the domestic national context.”/.