Legitimation seen as Asean's 'best weapon' in Myanmar crisis

From a safe house in Yangon, Myanmar anti-coup activist Khin Sandar reflects on the meaning of Asean. "Mostly, people think it's about the leaders of the countries," she tells The Straits Times. "We have to reframe that - Asean is a people's community. Asean should stand with the people of Myanmar."

That existential debate about what Asean stands for is getting louder as the bloc gears up for a special leaders' meeting on Saturday on the Myanmar crisis.