Factor That Shape and Influences Mfr

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• Characteristic of Balancing strategy-Military alliance with the other power-counter checking & containing the growing power of china.China in progress in defence budget & upgrade their armament.

• Why not balancing – strtgy - not necessary, politic-provocative, economically - not wise, no gain

• Definition of bandwagoning policy-small state align with a stronger and accepted become subordinate.gain interest with an agreement for protection our mutual undrstanding

• Characteristic of bandwagoning-small country accept subordinate role undr china.have to aligns in politically & military and taking china under core interest

• Why not bandwagoning-economically-maybe gainful, politically undisireble,strategically risky

• Some scholars said MFR toward PRC follow a “hedging strategy”

• Define hedging-strategy behaviour ASEAN country undr the condition of hingh uncertain & high stake,in order to persuing multiple policy -mutually counteracting effects

• Middle position-malaysia act to stay btween other two by maximizing reward receive & risk-contingency option

• Malaysia strategy-prefer to avoid having choose one side situation,play safe

6. Definite change under Mahathir (1981-2003)

- Most talked about PM in Malaysia’s history ( so far)

- Analysts looked at the relationship between the man, his political ideology, background that made him different from other previous PM and his foreign policy.

- In general, it is agreed that Mahathir brought obvious changes to MFP in : focus, re-organization, style and expression of foreign policy posture.

- But there is also continuity because by the time he came to power in 1981, the ‘grand contour’ ( main objectives, strategies and actions) of MFP had already been established. He enhanced, innovated , gave labels to depict its character and texture, making it more forceful and visible.

So what and where were changes?

- He re-organized / re-prioritized MFP , but continued to place ASEAN top priority in foreign policy.

- Changes : downgraded relations with the ‘West’, essentially relations with the UK.

- Look East Policy : looked to East Asia ( Japan especially) as an alternative

- Reduced the importance of the Commonwealth, looked to NAM

- Highlighted, prioritized relations with Muslim/ Islamic world.

- Ambivalent relationship with the US

- Positive attitude towards China

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