Economic vision and political opposition in Malaysia, 1981-96: the politics of the Mahathir era

Copenhagen Journal of Asian Studies

Volumn , Issue 12, 1997, Pages 9-34

  Teik, Khoo Boo ^a  

^a SCHOOL OF PHYSICS   (Malaysia)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

NATIONAL POLITICS; POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT; POLITICAL ECONOMY; SOCIAL CHANGE;

MALAYSIA;

EID: 0345267293     PISSN: 13954199     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.22439/cjas.v12i1.2173     Document Type: Article

References (29)

1. This article is part of a larger project ('Discourses and Practices of Democracy in Southeast Asia') being conducted by the Research and Education for Peace Unit, Universiti Sains Malaysia (REPUSM) in association with the Goteborg University Centre for East and Southeast Asian Studies (GESEAS). Funding from Sida, Sweden, which supported the research and preparation for this article is gratefully acknowledged.
2. That notion, never adequate for interpreting Malaysian society, is particularly problematic when simplistically applied to the politics of the Mahathir era, as may be suggested by two cases from Table 1. The political struggle between a chiefly Malay executive and a wholly Malay royalty which flared up in 1983-84 and was replayed in 1992-93, and the battle between the Mahathir- and Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah-led factions within the ruling United Malays National Organization (UMNO), which took different forms but lasted a decade, cannot properly be understood by recourse to ethnic factors.
3. Given the retrospective character of this article, much of its content was drawn, but not merely reproduced, from my previous writings on Malaysian politics under Mahathir and related subjects, namely, Khoo Boo Teik, Paradoxes of Mahathirism: An Intellectual Biography of Mahathir Mohamad. Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press, 1995; Jomo K.S., Khoo Boo Teik & Chang Yii Tan, 'Vision, Policy and Governance in Malaysia', in Leila Frischtak & Izak Atiyas (eds.) Governance, Leadership, and Communication: Building Constituencies for Economic Reform. Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 1996: 65-89; Khoo Boo Teik, 'Democracy and Authoritarianism in Malaysia since 1957', in Anek Laothamatas (ed.) Democratization in Southeast and East Asia. Singapore: ISEAS, 1997: 46-76; and Khoo Boo Teik, 'Between Law and Politics: The Malaysian Judiciary since 1957', in Jayasuirya Kanishka (ed.) Legal Institutions and the Rule of Law in East Asia. Melbourne: Routledge & Kegan Paul, forthcoming.
4. Given the retrospective character of this article, much of its content was drawn, but not merely reproduced, from my previous writings on Malaysian politics under Mahathir and related subjects, namely, Khoo Boo Teik, Paradoxes of Mahathirism: An Intellectual Biography of Mahathir Mohamad. Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press, 1995; Jomo K.S., Khoo Boo Teik & Chang Yii Tan, 'Vision, Policy and Governance in Malaysia', in Leila Frischtak & Izak Atiyas (eds.) Governance, Leadership, and Communication: Building Constituencies for Economic Reform. Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 1996: 65-89; Khoo Boo Teik, 'Democracy and Authoritarianism in Malaysia since 1957', in Anek Laothamatas (ed.) Democratization in Southeast and East Asia. Singapore: ISEAS, 1997: 46-76; and Khoo Boo Teik, 'Between Law and Politics: The Malaysian Judiciary since 1957', in Jayasuirya Kanishka (ed.) Legal Institutions and the Rule of Law in East Asia. Melbourne: Routledge & Kegan Paul, forthcoming.
5. Given the retrospective character of this article, much of its content was drawn, but not merely reproduced, from my previous writings on Malaysian politics under Mahathir and related subjects, namely, Khoo Boo Teik, Paradoxes of Mahathirism: An Intellectual Biography of Mahathir Mohamad. Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press, 1995; Jomo K.S., Khoo Boo Teik & Chang Yii Tan, 'Vision, Policy and Governance in Malaysia', in Leila Frischtak & Izak Atiyas (eds.) Governance, Leadership, and Communication: Building Constituencies for Economic Reform. Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 1996: 65-89; Khoo Boo Teik, 'Democracy and Authoritarianism in Malaysia since 1957', in Anek Laothamatas (ed.) Democratization in Southeast and East Asia. Singapore: ISEAS, 1997: 46-76; and Khoo Boo Teik, 'Between Law and Politics: The Malaysian Judiciary since 1957', in Jayasuirya Kanishka (ed.) Legal Institutions and the Rule of Law in East Asia. Melbourne: Routledge & Kegan Paul, forthcoming.
6. Given the retrospective character of this article, much of its content was drawn, but not merely reproduced, from my previous writings on Malaysian politics under Mahathir and related subjects, namely, Khoo Boo Teik, Paradoxes of Mahathirism: An Intellectual Biography of Mahathir Mohamad. Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press, 1995; Jomo K.S., Khoo Boo Teik & Chang Yii Tan, 'Vision, Policy and Governance in Malaysia', in Leila Frischtak & Izak Atiyas (eds.) Governance, Leadership, and Communication: Building Constituencies for Economic Reform. Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 1996: 65-89; Khoo Boo Teik, 'Democracy and Authoritarianism in Malaysia since 1957', in Anek Laothamatas (ed.) Democratization in Southeast and East Asia. Singapore: ISEAS, 1997: 46-76; and Khoo Boo Teik, 'Between Law and Politics: The Malaysian Judiciary since 1957', in Jayasuirya Kanishka (ed.) Legal Institutions and the Rule of Law in East Asia. Melbourne: Routledge & Kegan Paul, forthcoming.
7. Briefly, Anwar Ibrahim went for Islamization while Kerk Choo Ting thought Mahathir's 'liberalism' made it worthwhile to work for Chinese interests from within the Barisan. Others drawn to Mahathir were Kassim Ahmad of the old Malay left, who saw something in Mahathir's nationalism, and Syed Hussein Alatas, a founder of the Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia, who was impressed by the anti-corruption campaign.
8. For a useful collection of essays on Mahathir's economic policies up to the mid-1980s, see Jomo K.S. (ed.) Mahathir's Economic Policies, 2nd edition. Kuala Lumpur: Insan, 1989.
9. Two contemporary critical studies of the Proton and Perwaja projects are Chee Peng Lim, 'The Proton Saga - No Reverse Gear: The Economic Burden of the Malaysia Car Project', in Jomo K.S. (ed.) Mahathir's Economic Policies. Kuala Lumpur: Insan: 48-62, and Kit Machado, 'Japanese Transnational Corporations in Malaysia's State- Sponsored Heavy Industrialization Drive: The HICOM Automobile and Steel Projects'. Pacific Affairs, 62 (4) (Winter 1989-90): 504-31.
10. Two contemporary critical studies of the Proton and Perwaja projects are Chee Peng Lim, 'The Proton Saga - No Reverse Gear: The Economic Burden of the Malaysia Car Project', in Jomo K.S. (ed.) Mahathir's Economic Policies. Kuala Lumpur: Insan: 48-62, and Kit Machado, 'Japanese Transnational Corporations in Malaysia's State-Sponsored Heavy Industrialization Drive: The HICOM Automobile and Steel Projects'. Pacific Affairs, 62 (4) (Winter 1989-90): 504-31.
11. An official statement of the privatization and Malaysia Incorporated policies was given in Mahathir Mohamad, 'Malaysia Incorporated and Privatization: Its Rationale and Purpose', in Mohd. Nor Abdul Ghani et al. (eds.). Malaysia Incorporated and Privatization: Towards National Unity. Petaling Jaya: Pelanduk Publications, 1984:1-6.
12. James V. Jesudason, Ethnicity and the Economy: The State, Chinese Business and Multinationals in Malaysia. Singapore: Oxford University Press, 1989; Jomo K.S., A Question of Class: Capital, the State and Uneven Development in Malaya. Singapore: Oxford University Press, 1986; and Ozay Mehmet, Development in Malaysia: Poverty, Wealth and Trusteeship. London: Croom Helm, 1986 contain analyses of the expansion of state enterprises from differing theoretical approaches.
13. James V. Jesudason, Ethnicity and the Economy: The State, Chinese Business and Multinationals in Malaysia. Singapore: Oxford University Press, 1989; Jomo K.S., A Question of Class: Capital, the State and Uneven Development in Malaya. Singapore: Oxford University Press, 1986; and Ozay Mehmet, Development in Malaysia: Poverty, Wealth and Trusteeship. London: Croom Helm, 1986 contain analyses of the expansion of state enterprises from differing theoretical approaches.
14. James V. Jesudason, Ethnicity and the Economy: The State, Chinese Business and Multinationals in Malaysia. Singapore: Oxford University Press, 1989; Jomo K.S., A Question of Class: Capital, the State and Uneven Development in Malaya. Singapore: Oxford University Press, 1986; and Ozay Mehmet, Development in Malaysia: Poverty, Wealth and Trusteeship. London: Croom Helm, 1986 contain analyses of the expansion of state enterprises from differing theoretical approaches.
15. For political background and discussions of legal issues related to this amendment, see Roger Kershaw, 'Malay Monarchy since Yahya Petra: Riding for a Fall?'. Contemporary Review, 245 (1424) (September 1984): 113-20, and H.F. Rawlings, 'The Malaysian Constitutional Crisis of 1983'. International and Comparative Law Quarterly, 35 (2) (April 1986): 237-54.
16. For political background and discussions of legal issues related to this amendment, see Roger Kershaw, 'Malay Monarchy since Yahya Petra: Riding for a Fall?'. Contemporary Review, 245 (1424) (September 1984): 113-20, and H.F. Rawlings, 'The Malaysian Constitutional Crisis of 1983'. International and Comparative Law Quarterly, 35 (2) (April 1986): 237-54.
17. Detailed analyses of these scandals are contained in Khoo Boo Teik, Paradoxes of Mahathirism, pp. 209-19.
18. Ibid., pp. 219-31.
19. For an excellent contemporaneous analysis of the political tensions generated by the Mahathir-Daim measures, see Khoo Khay Jin, 'The Grand Vision: Mahathir and Modernization', in Joel Kahn & Francis Loh Kok Wah (eds.) Fragmented Vision: Culture and Politics in Contemporary Malaysia. Sydney: Asian Studies Association of Australia in association with Allen & Unwin, 1992: 44-76.
20. An original, non-academic study of the debate over the NEP may be found in Malek Marican, 'The NEP from a Private Sector Perspective'. Paper presented at the seminar, 'Dasar Ekonomi Baru Selepas 1990: Peranan Sektor Korporat Awam', Kuala Lumpur, 24-26 March, 1987.
21. For background and a close observation of the UMNO election, see Shamsul A.B., 'The 'Battle Royal': The UMNO Elections of 1987', in Southeast Asian Affairs 1988. Singapore: ISEAS, 1988: 170-88.
22. Some documents and analyses related to Operation Lalang are provided in Committee against Repression in the Pacific and Asia, Tangled Wed: Dissent, Deterrence and the 27th October 1987 Crackdown in Malaysia. Haymarket: NSW, CARPA, 1988.
23. H.P. Lee, Constitutional Conflicts in Contemporary Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press, 1995, and Rais Yatim, Freedom under Executive Power in Malaysia: A Study of Executive Supremacy. Kuala Lumpur: Endowment, 1995. Both contain recent in-depth studies of the 1988 crisis of the Malaysian judiciary.
24. H.P. Lee, Constitutional Conflicts in Contemporary Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Oxford University Press, 1995, and Rais Yatim, Freedom under Executive Power in Malaysia: A Study of Executive Supremacy. Kuala Lumpur: Endowment, 1995. Both contain recent in-depth studies of the 1988 crisis of the Malaysian judiciary.
25. There is no space here to discuss the complexities of the Sabah political situation, for which, see Francis Loh Kok Wah, 'Modernization, Cultural Revival and Counter-Hegemony: The Kadazans of Sabah in the 1980s', in Joel Kahn & Francis Loh Kok Wah (eds.) Fragmented Vision: Culture and Politics in Contemporary Malaysia. Sydney: Asian Studies Association of Australia in association with Allen & Unwin, 1992: 225-53.
26. The significance of Vision 2020 as the maturation of Mahathirist ideology is explored in Khoo Boo Teik, Paradoxes of Mahathirism, pp. 327-31.
27. See Roger Kershaw, 'Shattered Symbiosis: The Road to Conflict between Malay Nationalism and Monarchy'. Internationales Asienforum, 24 (3-4) (November 1993): 283-310, and Syed Husin Ali, Isu Raja dan Pindaa Perlembagaan. 2nd edition, Petaling Jaya: S. Husin Ali, 1993.
28. See Roger Kershaw, 'Shattered Symbiosis: The Road to Conflict between Malay Nationalism and Monarchy'. Internationales Asienforum, 24 (3-4) (November 1993): 283-310, and Syed Husin Ali, Isu Raja dan Pindaa Perlembagaan. 2nd edition, Petaling Jaya: S. Husin Ali, 1993.
29. A study of the UMNO election of 1996 is given in Khoo Boo Teik, 'Challenges and Upsets in Politics and Other Contestations'. in Daljit Singh (ed.) Southeast Asian Affairs 1997. Singapore: ISEAS, 1997: 163-84.