FOREIGN POLICIES

Malaysias Foreign Policy

The decisions and actions governing authorities make in the name of the state to conduct its external relations: international organizations, multilateral corporations and other transnational to protect and enhance the countrys national interest.

Determinants of MFP
Eco-historical or background sources Geopolitical factors or external sources Internal sources domestic influences Idiosyncratic sources leadership factor influence that come from the individual or personality traits of policy makers

Prorities
Malaysia has chosen to prioritize the extent of its foreign relations by geography and by the grouping of the countries: first the ASEAN countries, second the countries of OIC, third the Non-aligned Nations, and fourth the Commonwealth countries These priorities have remained unchanged in the evolution of our foreign policy from 1957 till today.

Malaysia and Regional Relations ASEAN Association of South East Asian Nations

BEGINNING OF ASEAN

BANGKOK, 8th August 1967

ESTABLISHMENT
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok by the five original Member Countries, namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined on 8 January 1984, Vietnam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999.

ASEAN - OBJECTIVES
1. to accelerate economic growth, social progress and cultural development in the region and 2. to promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries in the region and adherence to the principles of the United Nations Charter.

FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity, and national identity of all nations; the right of every State to lead its national existence free from external interference, subversion or coercion; non-interference in the internal affairs of one another; settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful manner; renunciation of the threat or use of force; and effective cooperation among themselves.

ASEAN SECURITY COMMUNITY

ASEAN Declaration, Bangkok, 8 August 1967; Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality Declaration, Kuala Lumpur, 27 November 1971; Declaration of ASEAN Concord, Bali, 24 February 1976; Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, Bali, 24 February 1976; ASEAN Declaration on the South China Sea, Manila, 22 July 1992; Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone, Bangkok, 15 December 1997; ASEAN Vision 2020, Kuala Lumpur, 15 December 1997; and Declaration of ASEAN Concord II, Bali, 7 October 2003.

ZOPFAN
Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality Declaration Kuala Lumpur, 27 November 1971 Neutral zone free from interference of Great Powers

ASEAN VISION 2020

A concert of Southeast Asian nations, outward looking, living in peace, stability and prosperity, bonded together in partnership in dynamic development and in a community of caring societies.

Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear WeaponFree Zone 15 December 1995

An undertaking by ASEAN states not to develop, manufacture, acquire, possess, test or use nuclear weapons.

ASEAN Regional Forum

In recognition of security interdependence in the Asia-Pacific region, ASEAN established the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in 1994. The ARFs agenda aims to evolve in three broad stages, namely the promotion of confidence building, development of preventive diplomacy and elaboration of approaches to conflicts. The present participants in the ARF include: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Canada, China, European Union, India, Indonesia, Japan, Democratic Republic of Korea, Republic of Korea (ROK), Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Russian Federation, Singapore, Thailand, the United States, and Viet Nam. The ARF discusses major regional security issues in the region, including the relationship amongst the major powers, nonproliferation, counter-terrorism, transnational crime, South China Sea and the Korean Peninsula, among others.

Cambodia Brunei Darussalam

Canada China
DPRK

Australia

Vietnam

European Union

United States

India

Thailand

ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)

Indonesia

Singapore

Japan

Russia

Laos

Rep. of Korea Philippines Papua New Guinea Myanmar New Zealand

Mongolia

Malaysia

ASEAN ECONOMIC COMMUNITY

Its goal is to create a stable, prosperous and highly competitive ASEAN economic region in which there is a free flow of goods, services, investment and a freer flow of capital, equitable economic development and reduced poverty and socio-economic disparities in year 2020. The ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA), 1992, ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services (AFAS) and ASEAN Investment Area (AIA); regional integration in the priority sectors by 2010: air travel, agro-based products, automotives, e-commerce, electronics, fisheries, healthcare, rubber-based products, textiles and apparels, tourism, and wood-based products. facilitate movement of business persons, skilled labour and talents; and strengthen the institutional mechanisms of ASEAN, such as improvement of the existing ASEAN Dispute Settlement Mechanism.

ASEAN SOCIO-CULTURAL COMMUNITY

The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, in consonance with the goal set by ASEAN Vision 2020, envisages a Southeast Asia bonded together in partnership as a community of caring societies and founded on a common regional identity. ASEAN Work Programme for Social Welfare, Family, and Population; ASEAN Work Programme on HIV/AIDS; ASEAN Occupational Safety and Health Network; ASEAN Work Programme on Preparing ASEAN Youth for Sustainable Employment and Other Challenges of Globalisation; ASEAN University Network (AUN) promoting collaboration among seventeen member universities ASEAN;

EXTERNAL RELATIONS
Building on the Joint Statement on East Asia Cooperation of 1999, cooperation between the Southeast and Northeast Asian countries has accelerated with the holding of an annual summit among the leaders of ASEAN, China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (ROK) within the ASEAN Plus Three process. Most ASEAN Member Countries also participate actively in the activities of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), and the East Asia-Latin America Forum (EALAF).

MALAYSIA AND WORLD AFFAIRS Organization of Islamic Conference Commonwealth Organization Non-Aligned Movement United Nations

Organization of Islamic Conference

OIC was established in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco, on 12 Rajab 1389H (25 September 1969)

Main Goal
to promote solidarity among all Islamic member states

Under the Charter, the Organization aims to:

Strengthen: a) Islamic solidarity among Member States; b) Cooperation in the political, economic, social, cultural and scientific fields c) The struggle of all Muslim people to safeguard their dignity, independence and national rights.

Coordinate action to: a) Safeguard the Holy Places; b) Support the struggle of the Palestinian people and assist them in recovering their rights and liberating their occupied territories. Work to: a) Eliminate racial discrimination and all forms of colonialism; b) Create a favorable atmosphere for the promotion of cooperation and understanding between Member States and other countries.

System in OIC
The Islamic Summit The largest organ, attended by the Kings and the Heads of State and Government of the member states, convened every three years. The Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers It meets once a year to examine a progress report on the implementation of its decisions taken within the framework of the policy defined by the Islamic Summit. The Permanent Secretariat It is the executive organ of the Organization, entrusted with the implementation of the decisions of the two preceding bodies, and is located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Members of OIC
57 countries Among the countries are: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cameroon, Gabon, Gambia, Iran, Indonesia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Maldives, Mali

Achievements
Islamic Colleges Cultural Institutes and Centres Bosnia and Herzegovina
(military assistance and medical aids)

Unity Fund
(financial support for countries like Mali, Senegal and Gambia)

NON ALIGNED MOVEMENT

NAM is an international organization of states considering themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc
Belgrade, 1961

Purpose of NAM
"the national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of non-aligned countries" in their "struggle against imperialism, colonialism, neocolonialism, racism, Zionism, and all forms of foreign aggression, occupation, domination, interference or hegemony as well as against great power and bloc politics". Havana Declaration of 1979

The beginning of NAM

The founding leaders of the Non-Aligned states from left: Nehru of India, Nkrumah of Ghana, Nasser of Egypt, Sukarno of Indonesia and Tito of Yugoslavia.

Five Principles of NAM

Mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty Mutual non-aggression Mutual non-interference in domestic affairs Equality and mutual benefit Peaceful co-existence

Member Countries
118 member countries
Represent nearly two-thirds of the United Nations's members and comprise 55% of the world population.

Among them are: Afghanistan, Colombia, Jordan, Zimbabwe, Kuwait, Jamaica, Laos, Kenya, Oman, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Namibia, Rwanda, Philippines, Oman, Pakistan, Nepal, Namibia, Libya, Liberia

NAM and Malaysia

Malaysia was formally accepted as a member Non-Aligned Movement in 1969. An essential feature of the policy of non-alignment: is the established of good relations with all power blocs. For this reason Malaysia worked to establish good relations with Communist China, on the basis that China did not attempt to interfere in the domestic affairs of our country. South-south cooperation is a strategic programme for strengthening friendly ties among members of the Movement of Non-aligned Countries specifically in the aspect of protection of trade, banking and finance, price fixing and commodities, industry, information exchange, investment and technical cooperation.

COMMONWEALTH
Old British Empire Recognize the British as the Head of the Commonwealth No written constitution

Harare Commonwealth Declaration, 1991

promoting democracy and good governance, human rights and the rule of law, gender equality and sustainable economic and social development.

Commonwealth Day
the second Monday in March every year
The aim of commemorating Commonwealth Day is to promote understanding on global issues, international co-operation and the work of the Commonwealth to improve the lives of its 2 billion citizens.

CHOGM
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Every two years, Commonwealth leaders meet for a few days to discuss global and Commonwealth issues, and to agree collective policies and initiatives.

Colombo Plan
Colombo Plan is one important organization that has affected Malaysia and the Commonwealth nation in this region. Colombo Plan stands for Co-operative Economic Development in South and Southeast Asia. The plan aims to have cooperative effort from the countries of South and Southeast Asia by taking part to develop their economies and raise the living standards of their people. The member countries inside the region are Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Kampuchea, Nepal, Laos, South Vietnam, Korea, Bhutan, the Maldives Islands and Afghanistan. Member countries outside the region are Australia, Britain, Canada, New Zealand and the United States.

Members of the Commonwealth

53 members (Old British Empire except Mozambique) Among them are: Zambia, Uganda, Ghana, Uganda, Swaziland, Mauritius, Namibia, Malta, Maldives, Botswana, Jamaica

The United Nations

Keep International Peace Check Aggression by collective means Develop friendly relations between nations Solve international problems Respect Fundamental freedom of human rights Central meeting of all nations

Main Bodies of UN
General Assembly Security Council Economic and Social Council Trusteeship Council Secretariat International Court of Justice

13 Agencies under UN
Among them: WHO UNCHR UNDP UNICEF UNESCO ILO WWF

Malaysia and UN
Malaysia plays an important role in promoting many international issues. For example, Apartheid Policy in South Africa, Antarctic Issue etc Malaysia also plays an important role under the UN councils such as the issue of Drug Abuse. Dato Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed has been appointed as the Chairman of Drug Abuse Conference in Austria, June 1987. In addition, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim (Minister of Education) has been appointed as Chairman in 1989 for UNESCO.

G15
The G15 is a group of 17 developing countries from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, was set up to foster cooperation and provide input for other international groups which is comprised of Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Nigeria, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

THE END