The role of NGOs and Non-State actors in Malaysia’s foreign policy formulation during the Mahathir era

Abstract

In East Asia, during the 1990s, research on the foreign policies of certain countries began when private, non-profit organisations took a keen interest in promoting good governance. During this time, rapid economic growth in these countries had generated new complications brought on by the effects of economic and cultural globalization, hence the urge to apply theories of good governance. Complications culminated in the 1997 East Asian financial crisis. The aftermath of this disaster left many countries struggling with tottering economies, devalued currencies and rising unemployment, not to mention the social and political upheavals that subsequently developed. In many instances, the foreign policies of these countries were directly affected by modifications in the domestic political economy. This in turn had obvious impacts on the foreign policies of these countries. This paper discusses the domestic dynamics in Malaysian society during the premiership of Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. The findings suggest that the Mahathir era signaled new areas of focus in Malaysia’s foreign relations, and that his administration had developed more involved mechanisms for foreign policy decision-making, particularly by engaging non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other non-state actors.