NVDB005_-_CH_3.009._Malaysia’s_internal_politics_and_the_implications_on_its_foreign_-_Thomas-2

49 — DP Vol. 05

Regional Security Dilemma: Trends, Directions, and Illusion

Malaysian politics has been in a state of tempered flux since the 2018 general election that dislodged the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) coalition which has held power in various forms since independence. While this has not affected Malaysia’s foreign policies dramatically, the nuances and uncertainties of domestic politics have seeped into how foreign policy is conducted and the views that conceive of them.

The Pakatan Harapan (PH) coalition that won the election, consisting mainly of long-standing opposition parties and a growing number of “defectors” from the former ruling coalition, did not deviate drastically in terms of the well established norms and interests of Malaysia’s foreign policies. However, political prior- ities and a desire to demonstrate to both local and global audiences that the PH coalition was serious about its electoral manifestos saw a greater focus on issues like the rule of law, transparency and account- ability, and an emphasis on human rights. These were prominently reflected in the Foreign Policy Framework for a New Malaysia, which aimed to frame Malaysian foreign policymaking as being defined by a new set of additional values.

The PH government was led by former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, which saw some of his long held, deep seated perceptions of the world make a comeback in certain aspects of foreign policy. These included, but were not limited to, a strong sense of the hypocrisy and disingenuousness of the West, as well the “voice of conscience” for the Global South, particu- larly for the Muslim Ummah.

Political infighting, factionalism and scheming saw the PH coalition crumble in March 2020, with a new coalition, Perikatan Nasional (PN), walking the corridors of power. Coalitional jockeying in the pursuit of power subsequently came to the fore once again and in August 2021, the then Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yasin was forced to resign after losing the support of the

majority of MPs from the largest party in parliament and in his coalition.

Malaysia’s so-called “Grand Old Party”, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), now holds the post of Prime Minister, which it considers its natural seat. Since then, factions within the party have triggered two state elections, which they won handsomely, and are now pushing for General Elections to be held as soon as possible. The belief is that the electorate has tired of the unstable politicking during the pandemic as well as its resulting economic crunch. Instead, they are now ready to return to a familiar party and coalition that, while associated with patronage and race-based politics, was also wistfully remembered by some for broad-based economic growth and general stability.

Since March 2020, when PH fell, Malaysian foreign policy has largely been characterised by three key trends.

First, the nation’s foreign policy focus was largely dominated by the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. This saw Malaysia undertake a significant outreach to countries that were core trade and supply chain partners, as well as those which supplied much needed vaccines to Malaysia as it sought to act decisively during the height of the pandemic in 2021. While the current impact of the pandemic is now less severe in Malaysia, the country is still in the process of opening up, which would see a renewed push for sorely needed travel related to business, investments and tourism.

Second, domestic politics and the pursuit of power continues to dominate the focus of Malaysian policy- makers. Naturally, there has been little room to focus on foreign policy. This has arguably affected the extent of Malaysia’s proactive engagement within ASEAN. While Malaysia has always deferred to the current Chair to set the tone and lead the agenda for

Thomas Daniel is a senior fellow in the Foreign Policy and Security Studies Programme. His interests lie in the security/strategic challenges and impacts of major power dynamics on Asean and its member states, the South China Sea dispute, and Malaysia’s national security and foreign policies. Thomas also looks at the policy implica- tions of refugees, asylum seekers and other displaced people in Malaysia, and the government’s refugee policy of “not having a policy”. Thomas holds an MA (International Studies) from the University of Nottingham (Malaysia), a BA in Communication and Media Management, and a BA (hons) in Communication, Media & Culture from the University of South Australia. He was a public relations practitioner focusing on social media management and media engagement strategies.