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Subject
Centrality of ethnicity and religion in Malaysian politics.
Significance
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has in recent months increasingly emphasised Muslim-specific issues in his government’s foreign policy. This is partly designed to appeal to the Muslim ethnic Malay majority, a key constituency for Mahathir’s Malaysian United Indigenous Party (PPBM). The PPBM governs as part of a coalition that includes multi-ethnic parties.
Impacts
Nationalists will increasingly speak out against schools that teach in languages other than Malay.
The Mahathir administration will develop stronger relations with Pakistan as Malaysia’s ties with India deteriorate.
Future Kuala Lumpur Summits are unlikely to become an alternative to the Jeddah-based OIC.
Keywords:
Malaysia,
AP,
India,
Pakistan,
Saudi Arabia,
United Nations,
international relations,
politics,
social,
education,
ethnic,
foreign policy,
government,
language,
opposition,
party,
religion,
election,
foreign trade,
summit
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2020
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