Rasyikah Md Khalid

ASEAN's active participation as a third party in the World Trade Organization (WTO) Dispute Settlement Mechanism (DSM) preserves its economic interests while strengthening regional cohesion and cooperation. However, challenges such as limited resources, diverse national interests, and lack of legal competence remain. This paper examines the benefit and challenges of ASEAN’s participation as third parties in the WTO through qualitative document analysis and critical case studies. It underscores the need for third-party involvement in enhancing WTO DSM, boosting transparency, and contemplating broader global trade effects. The study proposes capacity-building efforts, improved intra-ASEAN cooperation, and partnerships with other WTO members and international organizations. As ASEAN's economic integration and global trade, activity grows, so will its role in the WTO DSM, underlining the importance of strategic and collaborative engagement in international trade law and policy. 

Voting is one of the most significant ways for individuals to make a say in the government’s decision-making. A ballot is the bedrock to democracy which may be also argued as a formal expression of choice for a candidate or a proposed solution to an issue. The low turnout rate in the recent Malaysian by-election in Johor, Malacca and Sarawak as well as the 15th General Election (GE15) has led to the discussion on the rights to vote and not to vote. The primary issue to be addressed in this article is whether the right not to vote violates morality in the political context and whether or not such a right constitutes freedom of expression. Furthermore, the relationship between the state and the people will also be studied further in order to determine the responsibilities of the people. The primary objective of this article is to determine the relationship between low voter turnout rates from certain groups of communities and the validity of their decision to vote or not to vote in a legal and moral paradigm. The authors will collect data from primary and secondary sources such as books and journals related to the right to vote and not to vote in different political systems. The authors will also analyze data from books, journals, articles and more to make reasonable comparisons between the democratic system in Malaysia and in other countries that discuss the right not to vote.