That is interesting. I don't recall that bit of history (probably was taught in early elementary). But, yeah, how I wish the Pan-Malayan Union panned out. It's wider in scope too.
Thank you for sharing!
PS. It deserves an alternate history fiction, I certainly want to know how things would have been if it became a reality.
@gowin Yep. They already set up a weighted basket a few years back, but actually implementing it in our economies was delayed and delayed. I think it was put on indefinite hold.
The organisation can't implement ACT (ASEAN Common Time (UTC+8)), compared to a weighted basket, a unified timezone is the easiest to adjust. (China only have one timezone, even though it should have multiple.)
Nothing's happening with ASEAN+3 either, and I haven't heard anything about ASEAN+3+3 / EAC.
Last I heard, the original plan was to set up ASEAN first, then the +3 (CJK) will join the ASEAN economy and common currency (since China and Japan can't agree if they'll use Yuan or Yen).
But… definitely a long way to go, with all the delays and new challenges recently.
Instead of this hypothetical country, there's actually some push for a common currency in #ASEAN , which, if it takes traction, might follow the lead of the Euro, and the eventual European Union.