What foreign policy means
Foreign policy (dasar luar) is the set of principles and actions a country uses to guide its relations with other countries. Its aim is to protect national sovereignty, security and economic interests while promoting world peace. Malaysia's foreign policy has developed through three broad phases since independence in 1957.
The three phases
- First phase (1957–1970): Under Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, Malaya (later Malaysia) took a strongly pro-Western and anti-communist stance. It kept close ties with Britain and the Commonwealth, symbolised by the Anglo-Malayan Defence Agreement (AMDA) of 1957.
- Second phase (1970–1976): Under Tun Abdul Razak, Malaysia moved toward neutrality and non-alignment. It joined the Non-Aligned Movement, proposed the idea of ZOPFAN (a zone of peace, freedom and neutrality) in 1971, and established diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China on 31 May 1974.
- Third phase (from 1976): Under Tun Hussein Onn and then Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, the focus broadened to economic diplomacy, South-South cooperation and Islamic solidarity.
Key idea
Malaysia's foreign policy shifted from a pro-Western, anti-communist stance under Tunku Abdul Rahman toward active neutrality and economic diplomacy under later leaders.
Remember
- Phase 1 (1957–70): pro-West, anti-communist, AMDA; Tunku Abdul Rahman.
- Phase 2 (1970–76): neutral, non-aligned, ties with China (31 May 1974); Tun Abdul Razak.
- Phase 3 (from 1976): economic diplomacy and Islamic solidarity.