| Abstrakt: |
Malaysia-Australia diplomatic relations was established as early as in 1955 when an Australian High Commission was set up in Kuala Lumpur and was later formalised in 1957 when Malaysia gained its independence. Both countries cooperated closely in the areas of defence, education, and trade. Australia regarded Malaysia as its closest ally in the region. However, things began to change when Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad became Malaysia's Prime Minister (1981-2003). Ties between the two countries were tested with controversial issues that influenced their diplomatic relations, but the overall relationship remained intact. The current study analyses two main factors, namely souring factors, and enduring factors, that had influenced the pattern and character of the Malaysia-Australia relations in the era of Mahathir. It utilised a combination of methods, i.e. discussions from the English School theory, data collection through document analysis and interviews. The study found that the pattern of the Malaysia-Australia relations could be best understood and explained by the arguments offered by the English School theory of international relations. This is an important contribution to the study of Malaysia-Australia relations during Mahathir's era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
