MALAYSIA’S CORE VALUES

& NATIONAL INTERESTS

MALAYSIA FOREIGN POLICY
 What is core values and national interests?
 What is a country core values and national interests?
 What is Malaysia core values and national interests?
NATIONAL INTEREST

 National interest is a country’s goals and ambition

whether economic, military or cultural. The notion is an
important one in international relations where pursuit of
the national interest is the foundation of the realist
school.
 The national interest of a state is multi faced. Primary is
the states survival and security. Also important is the
pursuit of wealth and economic growth and power.
 Many states, especially in modern times, regard the
preservation of the nation’s culture as of great
importance.
 All the nations are always engaged in the process of
fulfilling or securing the goals of their national interests.
The foreign policy of each nation is formulated on the
basis of its national interest and it is always at work for
securing its goals.
 It is a universally accepted right of each state to secure
its national interests. A state always tries to justify its
actions on the basis of its national interest.
 The behaviour of a state is always conditioned and
governed by its national interests. Hence it is essential
for us to know the meaning and content of National
Interest.
 “The meaning of national interest is survival—the
protection of physical, political and cultural identity
against encroachments by other nation-states”—
Morgenthau.
 National Interest is a vague and ambiguous term that
carries a meaning according to the context in which it is
used.
 Statesmen and policy-makers have always used it in
ways suitable to them and to their objective of justifying
the actions of their states.
 Hitler justified expansionist policies in the name of
―German national interests.‖
 The US presidents have always justified their decisions to
go in for the development of more and more destructive
weapons in the interest of ―US national interest.‖
 To build up a strong nuclear base at Diego Garcia was
justified by the USA in the name of meeting the challenge
posed by erstwhile USSR as well as for protecting the US
interests in the Indian Ocean.
 During 1979-89, (erstwhile) USSR justified its intervention
in Afghanistan in the name of ―Soviet national interests‖.
 China justified its border disputes with India and the Soviet Union in
the name of attempts to secure the national interests of China.
 Now the P-5 countries talk of Non- proliferation and arms control in
terms of the national interests of all the nations.
Definition of National Interest

 National Interest means: ―The general, long term and

continuing purpose which the state, the nation, and the
government all see themselves as serving.‖ —Charles
Lerche and Abdul
 National Interest is: ―What a nation feels to be
necessary to its security and well being … National
interest reflects the general and continuing ends for
which a nation acts.‖ —Brookings Institution
 ―National Interest is, that which states seek to protect or
achieve in relation to each other. It means desires on the
part of sovereign states.‖ —Vernon Von Dyke
 ―The meaning of national interest is survival—the
protection of physical, political and cultural identity
against encroachments by other nation-states‖. —
Morgenthau
 National Interest means: ―The values, desires and
interests which states seek to protect or achieve in
relation to each other‖ ―desires on the part of sovereign
states‖. —V.V. Dyke
 National Interests can as defined as the claims,
objectives, goals, demands and interests which a nation
always tries to preserve, protect, defend and secure in
relations with other nations.
CORE VALUES
 The national interest of the state as long as Malaysia is
concerned, is the preservation, protection and
enhancement of the core values of the state. Looking at
this point of view we could project five core values,
which are:
i) The preservation of sovereignty and political autonomy
ii) The preservation of national security
iii) Economic development and prosperity
iv) The preservation of one’s cultural, social, religious
values – ones way of life
v) Enhancing the country’s image, influence and power
abroad and in the international system
STATEMENT OF MFA

 ―Malaysia continues to pursue an independent, principled

and pragmatic foreign policy, founded on the values of
peace, humanity, justice, and equality.
 The overarching thrust of its foreign policy has been to
safeguard Malaysia’s sovereignty and national interests
as well as to contribute meaningfully towards a just and
equitable community of nations through the conduct of
effective diplomacy‖.
 Malaysia’s foreign policy is largely influenced and shaped
by three key factors, namely its strategic location in
Southeast Asia, its attributes as a trading nation as well
as its unique demography.
 While the foreign policy approaches may have differed
over the years due to changing domestic and external
factors, the basic principles of the policy have continued
since independence.
 Policy-making has been guided by the criteria of
credibility together with consistency and coherency,
which have served the country’s best interests.
Balancing core values & interests in
F.P

 This is the area where any country need to thread very

carefully.
 As an example look at USFP which look at protecting its
security. US protects its security at the place where it
feels the problems originating, thus, forward defense.
 One of the way is by preventing Iran from acquiring
WMD. Therefore, US made a deal with Iran
 However, this deal has upset Israel and Saudi, one of the
many allies that US has.
 It’s hard to satisfy everybody, but you need to do what
you need to do.
 So guess what happened in this scenario?
Resolving conflicts concerning core
values & interests

 The country need to look at the priority between core

value and interest.
 The policy makers are also in need of looking at bigger
picture in this matter.
 We have few examples of conflicts between these two.
E.g. ―Buy British Last‖, Sipadan & Ligitan Island case,
Pulau Batu Puteh (Pedra Branca) and etc.