The Region? What's That?

Every once in a while someone will lament how Singaporeans are woefully ignorant of their region. Harry did it again just recently, I believe. Nonetheless, lack of awareness of the surrounding region may not be a uniquely Singaporean problem.
Does it matter? Our neighbours are much, much larger: they have large resources of their own, reserves of land and forests and minerals, and multitudes of consumers, which we can only dream of. Their need for increased integration within ASEAN, economically and otherwise, may not far less pressing that ours. But surely they will be better off with the fruits of integration, even if they can live without it. And moreover, the matter will eventually impact us ...
Contrary to popular belief, it is actually possible to clap with one hand. It does, however, take significantly more effort, and the hand that is doing the clapping cramps up rather quickly. Similarly, continued co-operation and closer integration within ASEAN, which Singapore is so eager to see, is difficult to sustain by the efforts and enthusiasm of any one of its individual members alone. Awareness of the region amongst people throughout the region, then, not just here in the tiny Serenissima, should be a legitimate concern for policymakers and thinkers here, not just something that is vaguely interesting, but strictly not necessary, to ponder over.