Malaysian Perspectives on ASEAN Regionalism

Abstract

ASEAN is often said to be the “cornerstone” of Malaysian foreign policy, and Malaysia has certainly played a central role in the development of this regional endeavour. Malaysia’s approach to regionalism and community building, however, has not received enough analytical attention. The study of Malaysian regionalism is important, in part, because over recent years we have seen an increasingly fluid and multiplex Asian region - in which not only major powers but also smaller states can be influential. In this developing situation, it is becoming urgent to understand non- Western thinking about international relations not only in China, the United States and India but also in individual Southeast Asian states such as Malaysia.. This essay collection examines a range of Malaysian perspectives on regional institutions and regional community building. It identifies Malaysian aspirations and anxieties, as well as elements of a particular Malaysian regionalist style. It notes too the recurring problem of how to balance regional against more narrowly national objectives.