Perdana Discourse

Malaysia is a nation in which multi-ethnicity thrive in spite of differences of religion and culture. The tensions underlying this unity, however, are real and present ongoing challenges to the country's leadership in maintaining peace and harmony in this country. How has Malaysia remained unscathed by racial violence that plague other multi-ethnic nations, even while achieving exemplary growth rates since its Independence in 1957? In this monograph, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia, speaks on the policies that the country's leaders have pursued in balancing the needs of the different communities as well as the risks and challenges that remain, particularly on the part of the majority ethnic community, the Malays. His speech is followed by a panel session in which Professor Emeritus Tan Sri Dr. Khoo Kay Kim, of Universiti Malaya, Dr. KJ John, former Vice President (Strategic Interventions) of MIMOS Berhad, Col (R) Professor Dato' Dr. Kamarudin Kachar, Chairman and Chief Consultant of Prished Consultants International, Kuala Lumpur, Ms Siti Salwa, student representative of Northern Malaysia University College of Engineering, and Mr. Saiful Azhar, Universiti Teknologi MARA Student Council Head, comment on the points he raised as well as on the topic itself. This monograph contains the transcribers' notes of the keynote address and panel session, and is useful reference for researchers of Malaysian history and politics. The Perdana Discourse Series was jointly organised by Perdana Leadership Foundation, an independent research and archive institution dedicated to Malaysia's Prime Ministers, and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), the biggest public university in Malaysia.

From the time of independence, Malaysia has sought to strengthen its international presence, and has positioned itself by focusing on areas such as international trade, globalisation's impact on developing economies, and development policies. Currently, Malaysia is one of the world's most globalised economies, with its trade 1.3 times greater than its gross domestic product. Her export-led economic growth is made possible through attractive foreign investment policies accelerated by the open markets that sprung from the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and the World Trade Organisation (WTO). As a developing country, Malaysia attaches high priority to the security and stability of South East Asia, expressed through Malaysia's active membership in the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean). Malaysia is also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). The challenge for Malaysia is to continue on its growth path while balancing national needs against growing globalisation and regionalism. In this monograph, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia, speaks on the evolution of Malaysia's foreign policies, from its pro-Western post-independence stance to its present decisively non-aligned position. He talks also of Malaysia's initiatives in fostering friendships among poorer, developing nations, and how that has returned dividends to Malaysia. His speech is followed by a panel session in which discussants Dato' Harun Siraj, Dr. Azman Awang, Dr. Zulaiha Ismail, and Mr. Mohd Rafa'ei Mohd Tahir commented on the keynote speech, and offered their own perspectives on the topic. The session was moderated by Universiti Teknologi MARA's Assistant Vice Chancellor, Associate Professor Dr Mustaffa Mohamed Zain. A useful reference for readers keen to know more about Malaysia's foreign policies, from 1957 to 2003, this publication contains transcripts of the keynote address, panel session as well as summaries of the group discussions. The Perdana Discourse Series was jointly organised by Perdana Leadership Foundation, an independent research and archive institution dedicated to Malaysia's Prime Ministers, and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), the biggest public university in Malaysia.

Sovereignty is a notion which has come to dominate our understanding of national and international affairs. Its history parallels the evolution of the modem state. However, today, when nations are very much dependent on each other, the idea of national sovereignty has acquired a different meaning. In recent years, questions have been raised as to the continuing significance of the state, the concept of which appears to be challenged and threatened by the impact of globalisation, technological changes, societal restructuring, neo-colonialism and ecological crises, among others. Questions raised include the relevance of national sovereignty in modern society, and its expression in terms of present-day politics. This publication contains the proceedings of the seventh Perdana Discourse Series organised in 2008 in Putrajaya, Malaysia. At the Discourse, the fourth Prime Minister of Malaysia, His Excellency Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, dissects the meaning of national sovereignty in relation to Malaysia and how it weighs on policy decisions. He combines history and geo-politics with current issues to impart a leader's view of national sovereignty. His keynote address is commented on by Law Professor, Dr. Shad Saleem Faruqi, former Cabinet Minister Tan Sri Sanusi Junid, and student representative Ms. Nurul Ikhlas.