MALAYSIA FOREIGN POLICY:

TUNKU’S ERA 1957-1970

 UNDERSTANDING MFP
• Shanti Nair, Islam in MFP (2001) said that
foreign policy is the extension of domestic
policy/politics.
• Therefore, to understand the formulation,
origin of FP we need to look at the domestic
or internal politics.
 BEFORE INDEPENDENCE
• Tunku worked on MFP even before the
independence.
• Tunku used the spirit of nationalism in order
to push for a speedy independence.
• Securing the independence is the main foreign
policy of the Federation of Malaya.
• Tunku made several visits to UK in order to
popularize Malaya to other nations.
 AFTER INDEPENDENCE
• Tunku adopted a pro-West stand in MFP.
• There are few reasons why Tunku take this
stand.
• Among the determinants are:
i. Personality
ii. Communist insurgency
iii. Formation of Malaya and threat of
Indonesia.
 PERSONALITY
• Educated in the West.
• Serving under British Colonialization
• Trained under British
 COMMUNISM
• Malaya was threatened by Communist.
• British willing to help Malaya to fight this.
• Thus, the dependence of Malaya towards the
West.
• “Domino Theory”
 MALAYA & INDONESIAN THREAT
• Malaya’s first international conflict was with
Indonesia – “Konfrontasi” “Ganyang
Malaysia”.
• Malaysia vs. Indonesia Raya.
• Get help from British (AMDA).
• Established r/ship with Muslim/Islamic
Countries.
 TUNKU’S MFP - REGION
• After the confrontation with Indo and the
Philippines, Tunku suggest the establishment
of ASA. ASA failed. MAPHILINDO – failed.
• 1966 – declaration of ASEAN. Signed in ’67 –
Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines
and Malaysia
 CONCLUSION
• Pro-West.
• Relationship with Muslim countries was 3rd in
hierarchy.
• Changed after Confrontation with Indonesia.
• Started establishing r/ship with Muslim
countries.
• Survival of the country.