ABSTRACT
As a founding member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1967 and one of the most stable regimes in Southeast Asia, Malaysia has maintained a strong commitment to minimizing external threats and dampening internal challenges. Like most countries in the region, Malaysia historically has been concerned with internal security, particularly perceived threats to the incumbent government. Externally, its main attention has centered on its neighbors, where there are persistent yet nondivisive territorial disputes. These concerns have not significantly threatened the country's security, allowing the government to pursue military modernization at its own pace and maintain an internally oriented security focus.
