Culture identity is the base of ASEAN cooperation. Culture can be viewed as a kind of value, which means how to pursue its security and wealth for one nation in international relations. The culture identity of ASEAN countries is manifested by their identity to ASEAN Way, which includes the rules of non-interference of internal affairs, consultation and consensus, and organizational informality. Their identity to ASEAN Way is decided by their security environment and has become the key for ASEAN success, although it faces some challenges nowadays.
This chapter provides a general overview of some of the relationships between tourism and culture in Malaysia. An important issue addressed is whether (following Hong, 1985) tourism development in Malaysia has resulted in 'cultural deterioration'. An examination of Malaysian culture requires us to consider the sorts of images which tourists, especially foreign ones, are encouraged to construct of the country and its people, or those images which serve to reinforce established views and prejudices. In this connection, the chapter analyses a range of both domestic and Western produced promotional literature using John Urry's concept of the tourist gaze (Urry, 1990). Malaysia has been promoted as a destination for cultural tourism, ethnic tourism, historical tourism, environmental tourism, and recreational tourism. The main parameters of the relationship between tourism and culture are outlined and it is suggested that Hong's pessimistic appraisal needs qualification. Compared to some other parts of South East Asia, Malaysian tourism is much less developed. Most visitors come from neighbouring ASEAN countries and share cultural and ethnic traits with Malaysians. In addition, visitors are very concentrated in a few destinations. An analysis of the depiction of Malaysian culture in tourism literature leads to the conclusion that some of the images promoted establish highly misleading characteristics which are unlikely to assist in any genuine cultural understanding between foreigners and locals. In terms of host guest contact it is the rural native populations that are most vulnerable.