Regional globalism : a case study of Malaysia-Southern Africa relations

Abstract

This study aims to adddress the growth of `New` Regionalism in the contemporary International Relations, notably in the region of the South. It is imperative to note that the growth of regional cooperation in developing countries `today` is increasingly showing and intellectual challenge in the study of International Relations, which is mostly determined by economic advantages and political changes in the South. It is argued that the notion of regional `traiding blocs` does not stand for any confrontational premises between regions. Rather the resurgence of `New" regionalism in international regime provides a useful tool for analysis due to its complex phenomena and will stand as complementary betweeen and among regions, by which the principle of Free Trade Areas requires participating countries to eliminate completely all quantitative trade restrictions and Customs Tariff against each other`s goods. The Southern States as a Region or Sub-Regions in which the ASEAN is placed, presents a meaningful avenue for the exchange of views and tentative understanding in the context of South-South cooperation. At the backdrop of this, one notices the increasing desire of Malaysia in extending its cooperation to the countries of the South, notably the Republic of south Africa and the Republic of Zimbabwe. It was widely believed that the north was the only source to promote economic growth and development in worrld economy, and therefore the South had no choice but to depend on the North. On the contrary, many believed, like the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad from their past experiences that the North-South relations in regard to aid and trade tend to destroy, rather than build, collective self-relience through inter-regional and sub-regional economic cooperation and development among themselves. Therefore, South-South cooperation is necessary for providing collective self-reliance among the developing countries. This study aims at examining the concept of South-South cooperation in the light of the case study of Malaysia-Southern Africa relations.