Внешняя политика Малайзии от Махатхира Мохамада до Набжиба Разака

Внешняя политика Малайзии от Махатхира Мохамада до Набжиба Разака

Urliapov Vyacheslav

Foreign Policy of Malaysia from Mahathir Mohamad to Najib Razak

Еditor: Dmitry Mosyakov

Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Москва, 2015, 284 p.

The book is devoted to the evolution of major trends in Malaysian foreign policy for the past three decades. During this period, the country has had three heads of government. From 1981 for almost 22 years the leader was Mahathir Mohamad. For this reason the analysis of his external policy is in the focus of this research. In October 2003 Mahathir devoted power on his official successor Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. However after the defeat of ruling National front at March 2008 elections Abdullah was obliged to give way to his deputy Najib Razak (beg. of 2009). The author marks that Mahathir’s rule was characterized by 4 main trends: “Orientation towards the East”, self-identification with the South (i.e. “third world”), increased focus on the world Islamic community problems, and growing resistance to the West pressure. Next prime-minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi identified Islam asthe most important element of foreign policy. He put forward his own concept of “civilizational Islam” (Islam Hadhari). In the context of global economic crisis the first foreign policy initiatives of a new leader Najib Razak demonstrated certain continuity in previous administration course. He began to strengthen ties with geopolitical neighbours (Singapore and China) and focused on further development of diversified partnership with the USA. Najib also set forth an idea of the formation of moderate forces global movement against extremism in interstate, interethnic, and interfaith relations.