Vijay Eswaran’s Clarion Call: Addressing Inequity within ASEAN Nations

In the great quilt of global economies, the countries of the ASEAN bloc — Association of Southeast Asian Nations — often get lost in the chatter about China or India. But listen carefully to entrepreneurs like Vijay Eswaran, and it becomes clear that the ASEAN community is grappling with issues of paramount importance. The QI Group founder’s most recent public addresses bring to light an unsettling, unsolved problem: the stark disparity in the quality of life across the ASEAN countries.

The disparity within ASEAN is not an economic abstraction. It is a flesh-and-blood reality. Eswaran articulates this urgency, not as an economist laden with numbers, but as an empathetic human tuned into social justice. He doesn’t tiptoe around the issue; he hits it head-on, illustrating that the global inequality we often speak of isn’t just about North and South or East and West. It’s also Southeast against Southeast.

Eswaran takes aim at the common narrative that ASEAN is a homogenous entity, destined for collective success. The ground reality is vastly different. As someone who understands both the corporate boardroom and the backstreets of Jakarta or Kuala Lumpur, Eswaran has this to say: If you’re not talking about inequity within ASEAN, you’re not talking about the real ASEAN.

You cannot debate the future of the ASEAN nations without acknowledging this enormous elephant in the room. It’s a matter that delves deep into the heart of social justice. And Eswaran, in his characteristic directness, is not interested in treating the symptoms. He demands a cure for the ailment. The founder of the QI Group is asking us all to ponder upon a key question: What does it mean to be a part of a collective when individual members of that group are so unevenly yoked?

Herein lies Eswaran’s power. He forces us to think about uncomfortable truths. For him, tackling intra-ASEAN disparity isn’t a buzzword; it’s a battle cry. His call to action reverberates beyond the skyscrapers in Singapore to the rural landscapes of Laos and Myanmar, urging these nations to confront inequality and systemic bias within their collective framework.

Eswaran does not merely point fingers; he suggests a way forward. The entrepreneur is actively involved in philanthropic initiatives aimed at narrowing these gaps. He’s calling on corporations to act responsibly and urges governments to enact policies that promote equitable growth. He’s not waiting for someone else to solve this problem; he’s thrusting himself into the fray.

But what sets him apart is the soulfulness he brings to the discussion. His words resonate because they come from a place of genuine concern, rather than corporate diplomacy. This is a man who gets it, who understands that the struggle for economic parity is a struggle for humanity itself.

In a world where we are too often compelled to think of profit over people, Eswaran’s voice is more than refreshing. It’s revolutionary. His focus on equitable growth within the ASEAN community serves as a challenge — not just to Southeast Asia but to the world at large. It’s a call to confront the inequities that lie in our own backyards, to make a tangible difference.