ALSA Magazine 4th Edition

A-MAG

ALSA MAGAZINE | ISSUE 04 | DECEMBER 2020

The Future of Asia

The best way to predict the future is to create it.

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Peter Drucker

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THE

HELLO READERS!

On behalf of the International Board of 20/21, we would like to wish our ALSA Members a happy new year and a jolly holiday season! As we are approaching 2021, let us take a moment to reflect how the year of 2020 has changed our lives.

We hope that the coming year will make up for the losses that all of us had endured by blessing us with peace and happiness all year round.

EDITOR

FROM

In this special edition, the theme of A-MAG is on the topic, “The Future of Asia”. As we are entering the new decade, Asia has become more important from a global perspective. From a financial and geopolitical point of view, Asia has become an inevitable part of global trade and connection. Unfortunately, during the same period, tensions rise in several parts of Asia, questioning the unity that some international organizations, such as ours, champion for. The diversity that Asia has might become a two-sided sword – it can be both serve as a power for Asian unity, but also can become a problem that dissolves Asia. Our contributors from various jurisdictions discusses these problems and challenges from the lens of their very own backyard.

With the help of our ALSA Editorial Board 20/21, we hope this edition inspires you and brings you joy as you virtually flip these pages. We thank you for your continuous support and look forward to serve you with much more insightful content in 2021!

Sincerely yours, Nur Khairunnisa Binti Muzamir Shah

VICE PRESIDENT OF PUBLIC, RELATIONS, AND MARKETING

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A-MAG

ALSA MAGAZINE | ISSUE 04 | DECEMBER 2020 Nur Khairunnisa Binti Muzamir Shah Editor-In-Chief

ALSA Editorial Board 20/21 Editors

Alyzza Kara P. Acabal Layout Artist

Assya Putri | Aung Khant Min | Htet Myat Win | Yamone Aye Chan | Chaw Kalayar Myint | Putri Artanti Batrisyia Contributors for the "Global Affairs" Section

Muhammad Ardiansyah Arrifin | Adillah Zaki Contributors for the "Legal Affairs" Section

Mochammad Aidil Salama | Humairah Qaolan Syaqiila | Bazilah Besar Contributors for the "Cultural Review" Section

ASIAN LAW STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION International Board 20/21 ALSA MAGAZINE 5

contents

Global Affairs

10 Letter from the Editor, 4 Contributors, 5

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The Strike of COVID-19 Chaw Myint The Sustainability of the Asian Sports Competition Assya Putri Asia in the Eyes of the World: The Unstoppable Rise of Asian Led Media and its Advantages Putri Artanti Batrisyia

Legal Affairs

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The Role of Legal Pluralism In Asian Societies and Its Potential Impact On Future Asian Unity Muhammad Ardiansyah Arrifin Online Legal Education in the COVID-19 Era: A Personal Experience Adillah Zaki

Cultural Review

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Diversity of Indonesia as a Miniature of the World Humairah Qaolan Syaqiila Message of Peace from the song "Imagine" Mochammad Aidil Salama “The Future of Asia” —Striving towards a pandemic-free era Bazilah Besar

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Global Affairs

GLOBAL AFFAIRS

The Strike of COVID-19

WRITTEN BY AUNG KHANT MIN, HTET MYAT WIN, YAMONE AYE CHAN, CHAW KALAYAR MYINT (ALSA MYANMAR)

The year 2020 has been one of the most tumultuous years in contemporary times.

Many adverse events occurred throughout the year, including the wildfire breakout in Australia—considered as among the worst wildlife disasters in modern history ; the escalation of the tensions between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran which put the two nations on the brink of international armed conflict ; and the high-profile racial injustice and police brutality that sparked the height of the “Black Lives Matter” movement . But as grave as these events are, the global affair that has the greatest effect throughout the world is the Covid-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 Pandemic According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Covid-19 is an infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered corona virus (SARS-CoV-2). This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China on December 2019.

On 30 January 2020, following the recommendations of the Emergency Committee, the WHO Director General declared that the outbreak constitutes a ‘Public Health Emergency of International Concern’.

It was officially announced as a ‘Global Pandemic’ on 11 March 2020.

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The Consequences of the Pandemic The Covid-19 pandemic has caused significant, overarching impact in almost all aspects of our daily lives, including education, the economy, health, social interaction, and the environment. This article will discuss the consequential changes in these sectors, particularly in our society in Asia.

IMPACT ON EDUCATION Education has been significantly disrupted by the pandemic, impacting children, educators, parents, and, most seriously, vulnerable people.

The pandemic has affected over 1.5 billion learners in 192 countries in the world.

School closures affect over 91% of the world’s enrolled student population and teaching personnel.

A significant number of scholarships programs and academic competitions have been canceled due to the restrictions and constraints brought about by the pandemic. Certain academic competitions and events were conducted through virtual platforms. Graduations and other ceremonies were held virtually as well.

Although most academic institutions cancelled or cut-down semesters

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during the year, various online courses became popular among students. Different national governments implemented alternative learning methods for students to conform with social distancing and other health safety measures. In consequence, students and teachers needed to familiarize themselves with digital tools, particularly video conferencing applications such as ZOOM, Google Suite, and Facebook’s Messenger Room.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

According to the United Nations, The COVID-19 pandemic is far more than a health crisis: it is affecting societies and economies at their core.

Due to the consequences of the pandemic, the economic cycles of nations were broken or at the least disrupted.

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a sudden and significant fall in international commerce, particularly tourism, travel, and trade. This left millions of livelihoods that are tied up in these industries to be at risk, including those in Asian countries, where such industries play important roles in the economy. International restrictions to travel and access to public establishments such as tourist spots caused a huge blow to Asia’s travel and tourism. International trade in different modes such as air and shipping were limited if not shut down, leading to various issues in sourcing and logistics.

This caused companies and their employees to face financial problems and the various national governments to incur fiscal issues.

The service and retail industry were significantly affected as well. To comply with social distancing requirements, restaurants and cafes had to either reduce their customer capacity or close for a while.

Some restaurants started to use delivery systems to transport food to customers. In retail, some merchants resulted in opening online shops with a delivery service as their physical shops have to be closed. Relatively, there was an increased demand for supplies on supermarkets and convenience stores because of panic buying.

HEALTH IMPACT The Covid-19 Pandemic has had a death toll of almost 1.71 million globally. Health systems across the region are being overwhelmed by

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demand for services generated by the COVID-19 outbreak. When health systems collapse, both direct mortality from the outbreak and avertable mortality from other conditions increase dramatically.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Nature has been threatened since time immemorial by anthropogenic manners and behaviors of human beings. However, the global disruption caused by the COVID-19 has had varying effects on the environment and climate. Due to the significant restrictions on movement and socio-economic activities, air quality has improved in many cities and water pollution was reduced in different parts of the region. However, plastic pollution has increased due to the increase of health care and protection supplies. Increased use of PPE (e.g., face mask, hand gloves etc.), their haphazard disposal, and generation of a huge amount of hospital waste has had negative impacts on the environment.

One of the positives is that animals have returned to their original habitats. For example, sea turtles have been laying their eggs on beach shores due to reduced level of human interference. Moreover, there has been a decrease in the carbon footprint during the lockdown.

SOCIAL IMPACT During the lockdown period, people can’t go out to public areas because they have to stay at home, in accordance with the government guidelines. As a result, people are either working from home or using their free time for indoor leisurely activities, which mostly consists of spending time in social media. Because of the long duration of lockdown, the influence of social media, and concerns regarding the pandemic, the people’s mental health, especially that of the minors, has been at constant risk. They are getting easily depressed and lonely as there is no physical contact and interaction during this pandemic. Depression and suicide cases have frequently occurred during this time. Lack of social interaction from peers also caused conflicts within the home, mainly amongst family members.

CONCLUSION Covid-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the whole world, including Asian Countries in different aspects of human society. Each sector has had to face significant challenges and difficulties in an effort to respond to the pandemic. Adverse effects have been dealt to key sectors such as education, the economy, health, and social interaction. However, it is also notable to see a marginal benefit for the environment. Our human society is still not used to this new normal lifestyle as a consequence of the pandemic. However, due to what is at stake, the nations must be able to face the situation head on and strive hard to address the various impacts of this pandemic, no matter how great, for the benefit of the people.

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The Sustainability of the Asian Sports Competition WRITTEN BY ASSYA PUTRI ALSA INDONESIA

The Olympics which is held once every four years is not immune to the impact of Covid-19.

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The world is entangled in the COVID-19 crisis. The spread of the virus that began in January 2020 has led every country to go to extraordinary lengths to handle it, but Asian countries especially are affected by this disaster. Not only has the virus had an impact on the health sector, but it has also exerted powerful and significant influences on various other aspects. One of them relates to events scheduled this year.

Some organizing committees of several conferences, conventions, and other events made the decision to cancel their activities due to the coronavirus remaining highly prevalent. Others tried to reschedule to later in the year. Considering the continuing rise in COVID-19 cases, they made good decisions. That said, the problem of COVID-19's impact is not just a problem of today. Events like these form a part of a self-sustaining ecosystem that must be maintained regularly. In the broader scheme of things, the activity is both a personal and community benchmark indicating career development.

They are inescapable, even in sports competitions in Asia.

GLOBAL AFFAIRS

Every year, countries around the world organize competitions to increase the success of their citizens in their respective fields. In the world of Asian sports, several competitions scheduled this year experienced a shock. The decisions to either postpone or cancel the competitions have their pros and cons for organizers, participants and spectators.

The Olympics, the world’s biggest sports competition scheduled to take place this year in Tokyo, has been officially postponed. Held once every four years, it seems the Olympics was not immune to the impact of COVID-19.

Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Chairperson Yoshiro Mori announced the postponement of the Olympics to 2021. There were few options—delaying the implementation, canceling the event, or continuing, with audience restrictions. The Committee's decision to postpone the event to the next year was certainly made with careful preparation. The public, after all, is still not convinced of the resolution of COVID-19 problem, corresponding to a decline in public enthusiasm.

Not much different from the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the holding of the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China this year has also come to a screeching halt. As the host country, China already arranged the necessary preparations. But again, in consideration of COVID-19, World Athletics agreed with the organizing committee to postpone it until 2023.

Other sports competitions were ALSA MAGAZINE 15

flows. Pre-event merchandise sellers must also temporarily close their physical stores, relegating them to online sales. Crew members and staff have not been spared unfortunate fates. That is to say, everyone from top management to rank-and-file employees felt the impact. Indirectly, the athletes’ countries are also affected. This year’s state-subsidized sponsorships will not have a return on investment.

Swift adaptation is the only thing that can be done.

Broad, as opposed to individualistic, thinking on the part of the sports industry becomes very important to keep up with health protocols. Athletes can take this opportunity to further optimize their performance.

Organizers can continue preparations in ways that they previously could not due to time constraints. The entire sports community can show their moral support and stay upto-date through social media.

similarly postponed, like the 2020 Thailand Motorcycle Grand Prix and the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup. The consequent losses are quite large, not only for athletes, their agencies, or even the organizing committees, but also for individuals and agencies that support the running of this event. Everyone working in the sports industry must be racking their brains, since COVID-19 has inevitably caused a significant reduction in industry performance at every level. Meanwhile, corporate sponsors are forced to find a way out. The delays had an impact on their cash

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Reflecting on history, the 1916 Olympics, 1940 and 1944, were also canceled due to the outbreaks of World Wars I and II; yet, they agreed to continue at the next opportunity. This is a testament to the spirit that there is always hope, and that all opportunities must be maximized. Let us reflect on the present while working toward a better future.

Asia in the Eyes of the World Written By Putri Artanti Batrisyia ALSA Indonesia

The Unstoppable Rise of Asian-Led Media and its Advantages

I

f you ask someone who their greatest childhood icon was, you’d hear a lot of answers like Spiderman, the Beatles, and Harry Potter. No matter

where you are, answers similar to that seem much more common than someone idolizing their local or regional star. This is because, for decades, the global media landscape has been dominated by Western voices. Whatever goes trending in the west becomes popular around the world. People all over the world rush to sell out stadiums to watch their favorite foreign icons, line up to watch the latest Hollywood movies and a select few would be willing to fly across the world for the opportunity to meet their icons and idols.. More than what’s popular, what we consider to be good or ‘award-worthy’ is also shaped by western narratives.

When we try to think of the best movies, music, or TV shows we turn to award shows like the Grammy's, Academy Awards, and Emmy's. All of which are western led awards showcasing mainly what's best in the western media circuit.

Despite the entertainment sphere being dominated by western media, the past few years have seen Asian media gain an awakening of sorts. The Hallyu Wave, 18 ALSA MAGAZINE

GLOBAL AFFAIRS

also known as the Korean Wave, has seen South Korea grow increasing influential in different spheres of entertainment, ranging from music to movies. This can be seen among others, through the success of Korean musicians such as BTS and Red Velvet performing to sold-out venues worldwide and the Korean made movie Parasite, winning the Academy Award for best picture, the first foreignlanguage film to do so. These achievements highlight the increasing prominence to which Asian based productions have achieved in recent years.

Outside of Korea, other countries have tried to capitalize on the power of media. One of them being China. In efforts to develop the extent of Asian Media presence worldwide, China has started working together with established parties in the media industry.. China’s collaborative efforts can be seen in the movie “The Great Wall” in which a movie set in China, starring a primarily Chinese cast and Matt Damon was aimed at creating international appeal for the movie.

Additionally, with the rise of Chinese based social media site Tik Tok (locally known as Douyin), China has started capturing the hearts of the masses through viral videos showcasing anything from the latest Chinese inventions, wholesome videos of puppies and grandmothers cooking timeless family recipes. All these initiatives have been done in accordance with President Xi Jinping’s stated goal of increasing China’s soft power, creating a positive Chinese narrative and communicating China’s message to the world.

It may be easy to characterize countries capable of capitalizing on their media power as countries that have advanced through other means. It would be a generalization to say that this is the only way or a pre-requisite to build such a presence. . In the post-globalization world that we live in, it has gotten much easier for entertainers from any country to break the global barrier. A worldwide push for diversity as well as the dominance of social media has allowed stars such as Rich Brian, Henry Golding, and Phum Viphurit among others to succeed on the global stage. This highlights the increasing presence that non-western entertainers have in the industry. However, this still begs the question of why this media power is so important.

Though we might not put much thought into this, media greatly shapes the world that we live in.

For centuries, humans have found ways to escape from our mundane daily lives into a more entertaining realm where anything is possible through movies, books and music. Media can trigger a range of emotions, such as happiness, sadness, yearning or anger. More than that, media shapes the way we behave. As humans, we try to emulate our idols, and the media we consume is riddled with them. Whether consciously or not, we try to emulate the way they dress, the values they hold, and the way they behave. At the very least, increased exposure to specific cultures through media creates a certain appeal that allows people to see that culture in a positive light and this is where the hidden power of media lies.

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In international politics, the media’s influence is known and used by countries as a part of their soft power diplomacy. In contrast to hard power that uses military means to further a countries agenda, soft power relies on persuasion, using economic and cultural means.

For example, the dominance of American media was crucial in placing English as the world’s lingua franca as a direct example of the extent and reach of American soft power. It's been noted that though soft power takes a much longer time to build and cannot entirely be controlled by government actors, it creates a longer-lasting change in contrast to hard power that creates short term changes through involuntary means. Not only that, other positives of media come from economic benefits which are derived from direct sales and a rise in tourism from countries with a huge media presence. Media has the capacity to highlight the culture that it originates from, which creates a renewed awareness and appreciation towards local cultures.

With these benefits in mind, it is clear that an increasing media presence can only mean good things for Asia. What does the future hold?

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From what we have seen so far, we can expect to see further developments in Asian-led media. With the internet being widely available, platforms such as Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube have and continue to allow Asian artists to rise through the previously existing global barriers. These platforms provide an avenue for Asian produced media to be highlighted to a broader audience.

In addition, governments are growing increasingly aware of the power that media can play in helping its development. As Asia’s spot in global pop culture continues to grow, so does Asian influence in global relations. In short, only time can tell where Asian media will go and whether it would ever achieve the same level of influence as Western media. But one thing is for sure, if current trends are anything to look at, the future of Asian media is more promising than ever before. Great things are in store for the regional media industry, and we can surely hope that this will help usher in growth for Asia as a continent and allow Asia’s diverse culture to thrive and bring itself to the international spotlight.

Legal Affairs

LEGAL PLURALISM ROLE IN ASIAN SOCIETIES AND ITS POTENTIAL IMPACT TOWARDS FUTURE ASIAN UNITY

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LEGAL AFFAIRS

Asia is a diverse place. Such claim is evidenced by various cultures and rich history that dwells in the continent. The culture and history of each Asian society are interlinked and influenced by one another in ways that are determinant to the very norms and tradition which is upheld by their society. This exchange of culture and its impact to their norms can be seen in several examples.Firstly, the living inheritance custom among fisher families in Java. For this case, one could look to Pandanganwetan Village. It is a custom for mothers to bestow their daughters their sums of gold and traditional dresses. This is a form of Indian custom adopted by them.

Secondly, touching upon the IndonesianEast Timor socio-cultural kinship in Timor Island, the tribal groups in Timor Island, both from Indonesia and East Timor, have the same customary law due to prior close relation before partition and colonization by Portuguese and Netherlands colonization.

Thirdly, Pashtun tribes in Afghanistan and Pakistan shared the same custom of Pashtunwali code. It is the code in which has been deeply rooted and practiced for centuries by the Pashtuns without authority from a coercive state. Pashtunwali played an important role in maintaining order

between tribes, thus acting as law as well as a collective defense pact that allows the tribes to remain independent or regain their independence from hostile foreign powers.

Fourthly, we can see through the similar customs of filial piety among Asian cultures.

Filial piety is an important virtue in Chinese society. Its teachings spread to other Asian nations such as Japan, Korea, and Vietnam during the openness policy of the Tang Dynasty. Although there is no evidence of the concept of filial piety, which also exists dominantly in the Malayan peninsula and Indonesia as the result of Chinese influence, it is certain that filial piety is also an important virtue both in the Malayan and Indonesian archipelago.

The four examples above show that there are norms that share similarities as a result of prior interaction among Asian nations.

But alas, it would be too optimistic to imagine a close unity among Asian nations based on these norms alone, especially when looking back at the current political realities. For instance, China and Korea dislike Japan due to the events of World War II. While southeast Asian nations such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, and Indonesia have disputes with China in ALSA MAGAZINE 25

regards to South China Sea territorial boundaries. Therein raise the question, how can legal pluralism make an impact on future Asian unity? There could be two solutions to this question. One is to encourage unity among Asian nations by denouncing and gradually revoking the policy of legal pluralism, followed by adopting similar laws among Asian nations, with likely possibility of a single regional wide legislative body for Asian nations similar to the European Union. This solution is, of course, too radical and unfeasible to be implemented regional wide.

Another example, Indonesia applies customary law in Adat villages pursuant to Article 103 of Village Act. The second solution is to utilize customary law in order to promote shared values between Asian countries with the final goal to increase unity and kinship. Such a solution could be achieved by several measures. First, the use of shared customary law societies as a vital component of international dispute settlement. Second, the exchange of customary law between Asian nations in order to broaden the perspective and awareness of Asian countries towards the future of Asian unity.

It is important to take into account the realities of international relations as well as the legitimacy of such policy to countries that implement customary law. For example, Vietnam implements customary law in its civil court in circumstances of statutory absence or when parties did not come into agreement, as long as it does not conflict with national law.

As mentioned before, the first measure is the use of shared customary law societies in international dispute settlement. Instead of higher escalating solutions such as conventional mediation, arbitration, or even litigation, the alternative use of customary law societies provides tangible benefits for Asian countries. Such benefits namely lower bilateral hostility, less time-consuming, and less expensive proceedings among others.

However, for an international dispute resolution to be legitimate by utilizing legal pluralism from customary law societies, there are two important factors to consider.

The influence of customary law society leaders among each other, and the factual adherence to customs among customary law society. For this, a real-life example could be seen in the border dispute resolution recommendation between East Timor and Indonesia in 2016 from local customary law societies leaders.

The customary law societies’ leaders in Timor Island possess influence among each other.

They possessed titles of nobility and were respected by the island population.

Therefore, these leaders could speak as

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equals with each other, albeit representing their respective countries. Besides the influence of their leaders, the population of Timor Island customary law society adheres to its custom voluntarily because of the shared sociocultural roots.

This is evidenced by the mastery of ulayat land management by the Timor Island customary law society, where instances of ulayat land could still be administered under one customary law society, despite being located in a different country where different statutory law applies. Therefore, because of influence from customary law communities leaders, and the societies’ adherence to their customs, an agreement was reached in 2016, and sent to the central government.

The Indonesia-East Timor example has shown the potential capability of the utilization of customary law societies in international dispute resolution. The meeting by customary law societies leaders has opened a possibility for a bigger role for customary law societies in Asian global affairs. It is possible that in the future, similar actions could be initiated by customary law societies leaders in Asian countries to resolve territorial problems.

The second measure is the customary law exchange between Asian countries. Customary law exchange here entails the promotion of customary law, where studies about customary law of Asian nations are encouraged and sponsored. This measure is aimed to build a sense of cultural awareness where a united Asian identity could be nurtured. To execute this exchange, it is in Asia’s best interest to use an existing organization entity instead of creating a new one.

One such entity is ASEAN, or more specifically: ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC). This

is because, among the five goals of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, one of them is the creation of ‘a dynamic and harmonious community that is aware and proud of its identity, culture, and heritage’. The role of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community here is the promotion of study and development about ASEAN countries’ customary law. The potential benefit of study and development of ASEAN countries customary law is not only restricted for mutual awareness but also open a possibility of advancement in each countries’ customary law. This means it is likely that customary law would adapt to accommodate challenges in the present and future of Asia. A more optimistic outlook for the future Asian unity is the potential ‘unification’ of the customary law of Asian customary law societies as it adopts the development of customary law among itself.

However, because of the limitation of ASEAN as a regional international organization based on South East Asia, the sense of Asian unity would be centered in South East Asia. It does not close possibly that the sense of Asian unity would spread outside South East Asia if there is an international organization of Asian countries, or ASEAN expansion to include countries outside South East Asia as member states.

In conclusion, there are two potential roles of legal pluralism in Asian countries in promoting shared values and kinship for Asian unity. Firstly, as a potential medium for resolving international disputes, as shown in Indonesia-East Timor 2016 meeting between customary law societies leaders in Timor Island. Secondly, as a way for the Asian nation to gain mutual awareness for Asian identity by promoting customary law exchange, study, and development.

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ALSA, Always Be One!

Online Legal Education in the COVID-19 Era: A Personal Experience Written by Adillah Zaki ALSA Malaysia

Similar to many others, I have always envisioned my university life to be nothing less than vibrant; for it to be filled with memories that would eventually be passed on to live as stories of my youth. Indubitably, my law school journey by itself has been a rollercoaster but little did I know, the year 2020 had bigger surprises in store – one of which would be a pandemic and here is my experience as a Malaysian law student stuck in Sarawak.

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LEGAL AFFAIRS

To provide as context, the Malaysian government imposed a Movement Control Order (“MCO”) earlier back in March when local cases of COVID-19 were on the rise.

During said MCO, a complete restriction on movement and assembly was enforced throughout the nation. As a result, shopping malls and educational institutions were closed down, all types of mass gatherings including those for religious purposes were prohibited and many inter-state flights were cancelled at the eleventh hour. Not to mention, there was the issue involving university students who were stranded at their campuses, most of whom were students from Sabah and Sarawak who either had their flights cancelled or simply could not afford the hefty sum for a ticket back home. Interestingly enough, I had the experience to endure this first-hand, being one of the ‘chosen ones’ who were stuck in campus for over a month before finally being sent back. Although I was finally able to conduct my online learning from the comfort of my home, this did not come without its own set of challenges.

Most importantly, there is a lack of access to materials especially textbooks. My faculty’s library is fairly rich with resources, even litigators themselves are often seen stopping by on a daily basis. Therefore, it caused a fair amount of struggle going through the semester without the liberty of accessing library materials such as textbooks in particular. Furthermore, as useful textbooks are as guidance, their prices are often hefty and would cause most wallets to run dry. On top of that, it was uncommon for bookstores in Kuching, Sarawak to sell law textbooks in general.

Thus, students would only be able to order most of our textbooks online which in itself would not only incur additional delivery

charges, but could take up to two weeks for delivery as well. Besides that, there are instances where some textbooks are no longer being sold and its physical copy may only be found in the library. This is mainly problematic for courses that by itself, may have limited sources and yet, make such textbooks as the main reference. Essentially, students are highly reliant on the availability of online materials which may not be sufficient in some cases.

On the brighter side, my lecturers have been nothing short than accommodating when it came to resources, even for research-focused electives that involve the creation of a project paper. Apart from providing their own set of helpful references online, one of my lecturers had even offered to send physical notes to students who are having trouble with access to online materials. Moreover, my batchmates have been lending a hand to one another whenever possible. For instance, we would share our copies of digital textbooks and scanned materials for each other’s references. Additionally, we would always remember to record the lectures for our friends who often face internet problems and are unable to attend the live lecture at the time. Truly, these favours may seem minute but it greatly assists those who are struggling with not only accessibility but connectivity. Luckily, I have batchmates who realise that not everything is based on survival of the fittest and instead, understand that in trying times such as this, it should be a collective effort to ensure that no one is left behind in classes.

Personally, I believe that there is a silver lining to every cloud – regardless how bleak it makes your day seem. In a sense, this pandemic has highlighted several crucial ALSA MAGAZINE 31

Simultaneously, it has pushed legal education to venture beyond the traditional exam method. Departing from the traditional approach, lecturers have now tailored their assessments to focus more on examining the students’ understanding and creativity in applying the law. Some of which have even opted for it to be done in the form akin to an assignment. In my humble opinion, the critical aspect of such an assessment is not diminished simply by its nature of being an open book exam. In fact, this would arguably be a better approach in assessing a student’s ability to craft solid arguments rather than their ability to memorize information and regurgitate notes. In brief, examinations have now evolved to better assess relevant aspects of a student’s legal skills.

Overall, despite the challenges that come with virtual learning, it has opened the door for the development of legal education not only in terms of deliverance but assessment as well.

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GUESS THE WORD

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Cultural Review

Diversity of Indonesia as a Miniature of the World Written by Humairah Qaolan Syaqiila ALSA Indonesia

Indonesia has a tropical climate, has dense forests in Kalimantan, has deserts in Bromo, has a diversity of cultures and customs, then Indonesia has a diversity of flora and fauna. So, I will say that Indonesia is like "Miniature of the World".

- Jessica Fitriana, 2nd Runner Up Miss Supranational 2019 (Puteri Indonesia Tourism 2019) Jessica Fitriana's answer during the personality test for the election of Puteri Indonesia 2019 was an eye-opener for many of us as it made us realise the wonders of Indonesia, namely tourism, customs, and its cultural diversity. The topography of Indonesia which is fragmented into many islands has caused a lot of differences among us, be it from the food we eat to the way we communicate. Although we have distinct differences, Indonesians strongly believe in unity since Pancasila is the State Ideology and the Youth Pledge of October 28, 1928 is believed to be the principle of life of Indonesians. This great nation has various relics in terms of customs, culture, and buildings 36 ALSA MAGAZINE

CULTURAL REVIEW

which proves that this nation has a rich historical past. It is a well-known fact that one of the Seven Wonders of the World is located in Indonesia, namely Borobudur Temple.

In addition, Indonesia is also known to have a wide range of spice plants which is essential in Indonesian cuisines especially ‘Rendang’ which is deemed to be one of the most delicious dishes in the world.

1. Tropical Climate Earlier it was mentioned that Indonesia has a tropical climate which is not as extreme as other countries. This tropical climate is beneficial to the agricultural industry in Indonesia since it is known as an agrarian country and has been awarded the Rice Self-Sufficiency Award from the FAO (World Food and Agriculture Organization) in 1985.

Indonesia is also known to be one of the best and biggest coffee producers in the world. Indonesia's wellrenowned coffee brands that are loved by the global community include Kopi Luwak, Kintamani Arabica, and Toraja Arabica Coffee.

Indonesia’s tropical climate contributes to the variety of flora and fauna in the country.

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3. Deserts in Bromo Want to go to the desert but you’re afraid of heat? Want to explore the cold desert? Don't go too far, ALSAians! Let’s go to the Berbisik Deserts on Bromo Mountain. The Berbisik Deserts in Bromo Mountain can be an alternative for those of you who do not wish to travel all the way to Egypt! The vast expanse of sand with cold shades will leave you with an amazing experience. If you want to explore a new place, make sure that the Berbisik Desert on Mount Bromo is listed as your travel destination!

4. Cultural Diversity and Customs

This tropical climate is an ideal environment for many animals and plants in this country.

Animals from other parts of the world such as pandas and kangaroos are able to live in Indonesia due to the suitable climate.

2. Dense forest on the island of Borneo Borneo is one of the largest islands in Indonesia and it also comprises of large forests. Even if we looked through satellite images, it is clear that the island is dominated by greenery, which proves that many forests are still preserved in this island.

For those of you who would like to experience the environment in the forests of Brazil, I would suggest to pay a visit to Borneo and feel the nuances of nature which is far from the hustle and bustle of the city.

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Indonesia is one of the archipelago countries with islands covering up to 17,504 square feet according to the latest data provided in 2016 and this consists of the five most populated islands in Indonesia. Indonesia has 1,331 ethnic groups which ranges from Sabang to Merauke. Customs that exist are the cause of behavior patterns of people who live around it. For an example, in Tasikmalaya, West Java precisely in Kampung Naga there is a custom called "Larangan Forest" which forbids residents from destroying forests.

The ‘Bajapuik’ tradition originated from Pariaman. ‘Bajapuik’ is seen as an obligation for the female’s family to give a certain amount of money or object to the male (prospective husband) before the marriage.

This tradition is practised to respect the family of the groom who has raised him.

Indonesian dances have their own significant meaning. The ‘Gending Sriwijaya’ which originates from South Sumatera, is a wellknown dance to welcome guests. Meanwhile, the ‘Kecak’ dance from Bali depicts an army of apes who helped Lord Rama to fight

Rahwana in the Ramayana epic while the ‘Bedaya’ dance from Malang depicts the meeting between Javanese kings and Nyi Roro Kidul.

In a nutshell, it is not surprising that Indonesia is like a miniature world, ranging from the structure of the topography to the diverse culture and customs. If you haven't had the chance to travel around the world, make sure to stop by Indonesia! But, make sure to start your vacation when everything is back to normal, not during a global pandemic!

Stay healthy and happy, ALSAians!

ALSA MAGAZINE 39

Message of Peace from The Song “Imagine” Written by Mochammad Aidil Salama ALSA Indonesia

John Lennon is not a stranger in the entertainment industry. He is one of the most influential musicians in the world of all time. John is one of the founding members of the legendary band, The Beatles in 1960 along with other Beatles’ personnel, George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. The Beatles managed to release a few albums that were included in the list of the best albums of all-time by the Rolling Stones magazine. One of the albums was “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club”, which ranked first, defeating The Rolling Stones and The Beach Boys as competitors in their era. The Beatles unfortunately split up in 1970 after ten successful years. In an interview with Paul McCartney in 1970, he revealed that, "The Beatles broke up because of a very heated argument".

Following the disbandment of The Beatles, the members continue their journey as solo artists, including John Lennon.

Although he is no longer with The Beatles, John Lennon is still proven capable of producing successful music in the market, with one of his songs, “Imagine”.

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It which was released in 1971 and was ranked fifth best song of all time by the Rolling Stones magazine.

"Imagine" tells about the struggle for peace in the world and a song for peace lovers (antiwar) which carries the mission of creating a safe and peaceful world. The song was written during the Vietnam War as a manifestation of John Lennon’s resistance to the Vietnam War. With “Imagine”, John invited his fans and everyone to appreciate world peace. John Lennon imagined a perfect life as a life full of peace with the absence of killing, less poverty and peace in every aspect of life. In the lyrics, John repeatedly says, "Imagine all the people living in peace".

John Lennon really invites humans to see the very pleasure of living in peace. In the 70’s, there was a lot of war and discrimination towards minority. Thus, with “Imagine”, John hopes he can create the path of peace for the world. Through the end of the lyrics, John said, "You may say, I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you will join us, and the world will live as one". In the last verse of the lyrics, John Lennon never stopped coming back to urge all listeners to

CULTURAL REVIEW

live in peace and have a happy life. John wants people to love each other. Even though it may be argued peace is hard to be achieved, but with one’s determination to achieve that, peace is upon human’s reach.

“Imagine” is the best song created by John Lennon. A simple tune and profound lyrics can make listeners understand John’s messages to live in peace and side by side even though life is full of differences. For me, the best song is a song that can tell and deliver the meaning of the song to all listeners. “Imagine” is what the people need in understanding the reality of humanity and what people can achieve with peace and harmony.

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What would the world look like in the next 3 years; or 2 years? How would the situation be then?

Now in December 2020, we are still constrained by the pandemic, where it has surely changed our daily routine and lifestyle; what a drastic turn of events it has been since 2019. Now, masks are essential to us wherever in public, the Ministry of Health is keeping track of every public place you have visited, a common cold is taken seriously, and the list just goes on.

What we are all looking forward to now is basically the betterment of the world, a better and healthier world. It is one of those things when what we long for is actually what we have had before; what we want as our future now is the way of life we had pre-Covid-19 pandemic times. The difference in the way we are living now, compared to before the pandemic, could range from being slightly different to completely changed routine; physical distancing is the new norm, home is where the office is, Zoom rooms have become our classrooms, the tablets have become our whiteboards, all events and celebrations were held virtually, and no public place is crowded with people.

However, these are the sacrifices that we have to make to guarantee us a better future to live in. Moreover, amidst these struggles and new adaptations, some things are looking up. To quote Albert Einstein, “in the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” The Asian Law Students’ Association has found ways around the obstacles of the pandemic to hold 42 ALSA MAGAZINE

“The Future of Asia” —Striving towards a pandemic-free era Written by Bazilah Besar ALSA Brunei

international events virtually, i.e. ALSA Forum 2020 in Jakarta, Indonesia which was held on Zoom, for free for its delegates. This virtual event had greatly broadened its platform, enabling the ALSA members — who would have had troubles with the registration or transportation fee for a physical forum, to be a part of the virtual forum.

With the current situation affecting our lives greatly, we sure are looking forward to a post-pandemic era. With the vision of a better and pandemic-free future in mind, we sure get motivated to adapt to the new norm because we know that it is what we have to go through to get pass the Covid-19 pandemic. The Future of Asia shall look healthier and livelier than ever, and together as one, we will surely get there.

ALSA, Always Be One!

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2020