Protecting National Security and Economic Freedom: Relevance in 3 Southeast Asia Countries, 2014–2021

Abstract

Abstrak: Makalah ini berinisiatif untuk mempelajari kausalitas antara military spending (MS), GDP of military sector (GMS), armed forces personnel (AFP), arms exports (AE), dan arms imports (AI) terhadap kebebasan ekonomi (FE). Objektivitas ditentukan di Indonesia-Malaysia-Singapura. Regresi data panel digunakan untuk menguji serangkaian hipotesis selama kurun 2014-2021. Selanjutnya, parameter probabilitas yang diberlakukan adalah sρ <0,05. Berbagai kesimpulan memperlihatkan ada perbedaan pada tiga pengamatan. Pertama, AFP dan AE berpengaruh signifikan terhadap EF di Indonesia. Kedua, MS, GMS, dan AI justru memengaruhi EF di Malaysia secara signifikan. Ketiga, MS, GMS, dan AFP mempunyai keterkaitan yang signifikan bagi EF di Singapura. Dalam reaksinya, temuan mendeteksi bahwa pembangunan militer meningkatkan kebebasan ekonomi di Indonesia dan Singapura, tetapi tidak untuk kasus di Malaysia secara kolektif. Hasil penyelidikan memberikan wawasan yang berguna mengenai kemajuan industri militer dan teknologi senjata, sehingga membawa eskalasi perekonomian yang lebih progresif. Kedamaian sukar tercapai apabila tuntutan untuk memperjuangkan kesejahteraan tidak selenggarakan.

Abstract: This paper takes the initiative to study the causality between military spending (MS), GDP of the military sector (GMS), armed forces personnel (AFP), arms exports (AE), arms imports (AI), and economic freedom (FE). Objectivity is determined in Indonesia-Malaysia-Singapore. Panel data regression is used to test a series of hypotheses over the period 2014-2021. Furthermore, the probability parameter applied is ρ <0.05. Various conclusions show that there are differences between the three observations. First, AFP and AE have a significant effect on EF in Indonesia. Second, MS, GMS, and AI affect EF in Malaysia significantly. Third, MS, GMS, and AFP have significant links to EF in Singapore. In reaction, the findings detect that military build-up increased economic freedom in Indonesia and Singapore, but not in Malaysia collectively. The results of the investigation provide useful insights into the progress of the military industry and weapons technology, thereby bringing about a more progressive economic escalation. Economic freedom is an identity that symbolizes the maturity of a country's prosperity.