[COLUMNIST] Malaysia's diplomatic dance: Balancing economic and political interests in a shifting world

MALAYSIA'S international relations require careful management to ensure that its economic and strategic objectives align with its values and aspirations for a prosperous and peaceful future. By navigating these challenges effectively, Malaysia can play a leading role in shaping the future of the region and the world.

International relationships are essential to our globalized world, and their importance cannot be overstated. With the world being more interconnected than ever before, nations cannot thrive without cooperating. International relationships bring about a host of benefits, such as trade, investment, and cooperation in various industries. These boost the local economy, create jobs, bring in new technologies and technical know-how, enhance local businesses’ competitiveness and give people access to new products, services and resources from across the globe.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim recognises these mutually beneficial traits; and since his return to politics in 2022, Anwar has focused on strengthening Malaysia's international relations, particularly with its ASEAN neighbours. On various occasions, he has emphasized the importance of ASEAN unity and cooperation, particularly in the face of regional challenges such as the South China Sea dispute and the Rohingya crisis. Under Anwar's leadership, Malaysia has played a more active role in ASEAN and championed regional cooperation and integration.

That is not to say that countries outside ASEAN are not important. Anwar is strengthening Malaysia's ties with China, the country's largest trading partner, noting the need for a balanced and mutually beneficial relationship, which includes increased trade and investment as well as cooperation in areas such as infrastructure development and education. Beyond China, we’ve seen his efforts in forging strategic partnerships with other countries like Japan, South Korea, and India to promote economic growth and regional stability; and with the United States and Europe for trade and investment. A vocal proponent of multilateralism, he has also called for increased cooperation on issues such as climate change, terrorism, and pandemic response.

But with more international relationships, there also comes the increased potential for conflict, be it misunderstanding, miscommunication, or just simply, different perspectives. Economic exploitation has also been a key argument developing countries have brought up, where unequal power dynamics have led to poorer countries being exploited for labour and resources without fair compensation. This can lead to economic imbalances and perpetuate global poverty and inequality.

From my perspective, the future of Malaysia's international relationships is dependent on a variety of factors, including political stability, economic growth, and regional and global trends. However, several potential developments could shape Malaysia's future international ties.

First, Malaysia will likely continue strengthening its relationships with its Southeast Asian neighbours through organizations such as ASEAN. The region has seen increased cooperation and integration in recent years, and Malaysia is likely to play a key role in this process.

Second, Malaysia's relationships with China and the United States are likely to be pivotal in the coming years. The balance of power between these two countries is shifting, and Malaysia will need to carefully navigate its relationships with both to ensure that it benefits economically and diplomatically.

Third, Malaysia's relationships with other countries in the region, such as Japan, South Korea, and India, are likely to continue to grow in importance. These countries are key economic partners for Malaysia, and there are opportunities for increased cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, and infrastructure development.

From a critical perspective, Malaysia's international relationships have been subject to scrutiny and criticism. One of the main criticisms is related to Malaysia's relationship with China. While China is a key economic partner for Malaysia, some critics argue that the relationship is not as balanced as it seems, with China using Malaysia's resources and labour. This has led to concerns about Malaysia's increasing economic dependence on China and the potential for China to exert political influence over Malaysia.

Another hot-button issue related to China is its increasing assertiveness in the South China Sea, which has led to tensions between China and other countries in the region, including Malaysia. Malaysia has accused China of encroaching on its maritime territory, leading to several incidents between the two countries.

Additionally, Malaysia's handling of the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar has also been met with scrutiny. Some critics argue that Malaysia has not done enough to address the human rights violations against the Rohingya, instead prioritizing its economic relationships with Myanmar.

I believe the future of Malaysia's international relationships is likely to be shaped by various factors, including regional and global trends and Malaysia's own political and economic priorities. However, continued cooperation and integration with Southeast Asian neighbours, careful navigation of relationships with China and the United States, increased engagement in global issues and strengthened relations with other countries in the region are all likely to be key themes in Malaysia's future foreign policy. Additionally, Anwar has emphasized the importance of global cooperation and multilateralism, highlighting the need for increased international collaboration on pressing issues facing the world today.

After all, In this world, we can’t live alone.

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* Dr Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Sabri is a political analyst.

** The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of Astro AWANI.