Eurasia Review
19 December 2015
- RSIS
- Media Mentions
- From ASEAN Chair to UN Security Council: Malaysian Foreign Policy in 2015 – Analysis
From ASEAN Chair to UN Security Council: Malaysian Foreign Policy in 2015 – Analysis
In a tumultuous year for domestic politics in Malaysia, its international roles in the UN Security Council and as chair of ASEAN have come under increased scrutiny.
With the year coming to a close, Malaysia’s membership in the United Nations Security Council over the past year in light of its concurrent chairmanship of ASEAN 2015 and the rumblings of its domestic politics makes the country and interesting case study. A quick examination of the Security Council’s voting and veto records shows a quiet and agreeable non-permanent member of the Security Council more concerned with not jeopardising its international reputation in the continuing face of domestic discontent.
Along with its relatively quiet albeit marginally successful performance as chair of ASEAN 2015 despite the ongoing regional haze problem, Malaysia’s inclusion in the Security Council has largely gone unnoticed in the domestic arena amidst various political scandals and a tumbling economy.
… Rashaad Ali is a research associate with the Malaysia Programme at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technology University, Singapore.
IDSS / Online
Last updated on 21/12/2015
