Dasar ‘Memakmurkan Jiran’ dan Penglibatan Malaysia dalam Proses Keamanan di Selatan Filipina (‘Prosper Thy Neighbour’ Policy and Malaysia Involvement In The Southern Philippines Peace Process)

Abstract

Since the end of the Cold War, Southeast Asian countries has been ranked as a main priority in Malaysia’s foreign policy. In this respect, it is undeniable that the geographical proximity has played as a key role in explaining Malaysia’s attitude towards these countries. In other words, problems in these countries, if not imporved will indirectly affect Malaysia’s security, economic and political in the long run. Recognising the problems in neighboring countries have led Malaysia to emphasis the prosper-thy-neighbor policy, a policy that aims to achieve a win-win situation between neighboring countries and Malaysia. Therefore, emloying the case of Malaysia-Philippines relations, this paper argues that the Malaysia’s involvement in the peace process between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the southern Philippines has much to do with the Malaysia’s national interests and security calculation. In this regard, the most pressing issues for Malaysia is to ensure that the conflict in this volatile region will not spill over into Malaysia’s territory. It is hoped that the issue of migrants and refugees from the Philippines and the kidnapping issue by Abu Sayyaf in Malaysia’s territory that has lasted for many years will be resolved when the peace is achieved. This is the essence to prosper thy neighbor policy adopted by Malaysia in relation to the ongoing peace process in the southern Philippines.