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Centre for Rising Powers

 

Hosted by the Resilience and Sustainable Development Programme (RSDP)

Abstract

As the country seeks out to define its position in international relations beyond 2020, the question of whether Malaysia is a Middle Power takes on strategic importance. Malaysia had over the years manifested its middlepowerness through its niche diplomacy in strategic areas, such as peace and security, economic statecraft, environment and climate change and in ASEAN regionalism and engagement with the Big Powers. The latitude gained through network power gained from its roles in ASEAN , the Asia Pacific Economic Convention, the Asia-Europe Summit, the South alliances, and the Organization of Islamic Countries has offered the country the leverage to play a hybrid role so as to not only meet its economic and political interests, but also to play a normative role internationally. With this renewed activism, Malaysia should be able to act and be recognized as a middle power in a world system that is increasingly complex and dangerous.

 

About the speakers

Tan Sri Datuk Dr. Kamal Salih is currently an Adjunct Professor of Economics and Development Studies in Universiti Malaya. He was Professor, Dean and Deputy Vice Chancellor at Universiti Sains Malaysia (1973-1985), the founding Executive Director of the Malaysian Institute of Economic Research (MIER) (1986-1994), and in 1992 he established established the first private medical college in Malaysia, the International Medical University (IMU) and remained its Executive Chairman until 2004. Tan Sri Kamal has also served as an economic advisor for the government on several occasions and was an elected Member of Parliament for Wangsa Maju (1996-1999). In 1996 he established and remains Chairman of Yayasan Wangsa Maju now known as Yayasan Mahkota until now.

Rajah Rasiah is Professor of Technology and Innovation Policy, Faculty of Economics and Administration at the University of Malaya in Malaysia. His research focuses on the impact of transnational corporations and intellectual property rights on domestic industrial upgrading and innovations. He received his doctorate (economics) from Cambridge University, has held several international awards and fellowships and as undertaken consultancies for many international agencies, including UNCTAD , UNIDO, ILO , the World Bank, UNESCO , and ADB . Professor Rasiah has also published several books and numerous articles in international journals.

Date: 
Friday, 18 November, 2016 - 14:00 to 15:30
Contact name: 
Vasiliki Mavroeidi
Contact email: 
Event location: 
Alison Richard Building, S1