What is it about?
Malaysia’s diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia and Iran generally have been cordial while its economic ties with both countries have been expanding. However, the Saudi-Iran strategic rivalry has intensified both within and beyond the Middle East, raising several questions that this essay proposes to address: What are Malaysia’s interests in Saudi Arabia and Iran? Is there any evidence that Saudi Arabia and Iran, as a function of their competition with each other, are seeking to expand their influence in Southeast Asia, and in Malaysia in particular, through the promulgation of Shia and Wahhabi ideology? If so, to what extent and by what means could Malaysia respond to this development so as to avoid jeopardizing the fruitful aspects of their relations with both countries?
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Why is it important?
We analysis how has the interest of Saudi and Iran in Malaysia been capitalised for the economic benefit of Malaysia. Both Saudi and Iran have been rival for quite so long time. The tension between these two countries led into proxy wars. Our article assesses how Malaysia juggles between the Saudi's and Iran's interest in the South East region and counter it with an economic benefit.
Perspectives
Writing this article with my outstanding co-authors was a great experience I had. This article was purposely written when there have been great interest from both side Malaysia and countries in the Middle East to expand their relationships. However, looking to the conflict in the Middle East, Malaysian leaders have been very cautious to assure it won't involve in the long standing conflict in the Middle East. With the experts from my co-authors, we managed to analsye the issue from both aspect politics and economics.
Dr Mohd Fauzi Abu-Hussin
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Malaysia’s Relations with Saudi Arabia and Iran: Juggling the Interests, Contemporary Review of the Middle East, January 2018, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/2347798917744294.
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