ABSTRACT
Malaysia is a relatively small state with internal and external vulnerabilities characteristic of most developing countries. Post-colonial Malaysia has been chiefly preoccupied with internal threats, notwithstanding Indonesian President Sukarno’s war against Malaysia in the mid-1960s (called Konfrontasi) and the Philippine claim to the Malaysian state of Sabah (which peaked in the late 1960s). Malaysian armed forces have until recently maintained a counterinsurgency orientation and were slow to develop self-reliance in meeting external threats. Its multi-ethnic population, especially the fragile balance between the Malays and Chinese, has been a key factor not just in domestic politics, but also in shaping its foreign policy and regional security posture. But Malaysia is also a relatively prosperous state with abundant natural resources, and it has been one of the most dynamic industrializing economies in the Asia Pacific region. Prosperity has helped to reduce ethnic strife and allowed Malaysia to devote attention and resources to external threats. Under Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed, it has pursued an activist foreign policy both at
regional and global levels. Mahathir has been an outspoken critic of Western political and cultural dominance, an ardent champion of Third World solidarity and an active participant in efforts to build regional multilateral institutions, such as the ASEAN Regional Forum and his very own brainchild, the East Asian Economic Caucus (EAEC).
