Turning 40 is a milestone that deserves a more festive than usual celebration. But it’s seemingly not the case for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the lead-up to its 40th birthday — and it’s all thanks to Myanmar.

Instead of toasting what the regional grouping has achieved since its inception four decades ago, all but one ASEAN leader now gathering for a summit in Singapore may wonder how the Myanmar issue has hijacked the organization’s agenda for the last 10 years.

By contrast, Myanmar will celebrate what has, for the past decade, enabled it to hide behind ASEAN’s shield vis- -vis the hostile international community.

Hopes abounded back in 1997 when ASEAN leaders decided to accept Myanmar membership in the region’s main political and economic bloc that the grouping would manage to persuade the Myanmar military junta to compromise.

Indeed, Myanmar announced a seven-step “roadmap to democracy” for the country in 2003, but there has been no indication the promise would materialize anytime soon.

Departing from ASEAN non-interference credo, leaders of the region have since then put pressure on Myanmar’s military junta to expedite the moves it has pledged to take for restoring democracy.

Some have lost their patience and talks around Myanmar’s suspension as ASEAN member country have resurfaced following last September’s crackdown on Buddhist monks and pro-democracy activists who rallied peacefully for democracy.

There was nothing much ASEAN, or the international community, could do in response to the heavy handling of the protesters, other than condemn the military regime — a regime which crushed pro-democracy uprising to seize power in 1988 and refused to hand over power to an election-winning Aung San Suu-kyi’s National League for Democracy in 1990.

Myanmar will continue to be an embarrassment for ASEAN if the organization fails to force the military junta to take immediate and clear actions to prove its commitment to democracy. Ten years is too long to be still waiting to hear of significant change in Myanmar, where millions of people may have suffered international sanctions.

It was quite a disappointment that Indonesia, as an influential co-founder of ASEAN, would maintain its lenient approach in facing stubborn Myanmar rulers.

Speaking before governors and provincial leaders last week, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Indonesia would continue to trust the Myanmar generals and their promise to restore democracy in the country, albeit gradually.

That Yudhoyono looks afraid any drastic change in Myanmar will put the country’s security, and eventually the prospect of democracy, at risk, will only continue to justify the junta and its buying of time tactics.

Indonesia and ASEAN will be responsible for finding a solution to the Myanmar issue during their summit in Singapore — or else Myanmar will continue to drag the organization down.

A summit which does see a remedy found, will overshadow the landmark signing of the much-awaited ASEAN Charter.

ASEAN cannot let Myanmar spoil the party again.