Malaysia at 50: Malaysia's Foreign Policy and the Commonwealth Revisited

Abstract

The Commonwealth has had a central place in Malaya's foreign policy, especially in the period immediately after independence. This was, in part, due to its then current requirement for assistance with its external defence. In addition, there were no regional organizations in Southeast Asia whose purpose and objectives were centrally relevant to Malaysia's experience and national goals. The later emergence of ASEAN, OIC, or other similar bodies, has led to some erosion of Malaysia's profound attachment to the Commonwealth. This is not to suggest that Malaysia has entirely abandoned its support for the Commonwealth's existence. Generally, nowadays it prefers to play a quiet and supporting role in the organization. But Malaysia's leaders believe that the Commonwealth still has a role to play in helping to promote Malaysia's foreign and economic policy objectives, even though it may be relegated to a fourth place in the list of international instrumentalities.