Malaysia: Perception of Contemporary China and Its Economic, Political and Societal Determinants

The Pacific Review, Routledge, Volume 32, Issue 3, pp. 395-418. (Published online: 31 October 2018.)

33 Pages Posted: 18 Nov 2021

Date Written: May 31, 2019

Abstract

This article looks at the Malaysian perception of the contemporary rise of China by focusing more on the country’s societal response rather than from a broad overall perspective of international strategic relations and diplomacy. The Malaysian society is seen as a complex multi-entity construct, constituted by often sharply differentiated fragments and sub-fragments which could exhibit vastly different responses to the implications of the rise of China. Within such a construct, perception of the rise of China and the appropriate Malaysian response are intricately entwined with domestic power politics, generational transition and governmental control over public discourse. Hence, the Malaysian perception of the contemporary rise of China is as complex as the Malaysian society itself, and what is revealed in official government policies and public discourses in the dominant mass media would fail to reflect the real depth of the issue if the intrinsic complexity of the Malaysian society is not taken into due consideration.

Keywords: China’s rise, Malaysian Chinese community, perception, generation, politics

Suggested Citation

Yeoh, Emile Kok-Kheng, Malaysia: Perception of Contemporary China and Its Economic, Political and Societal Determinants (May 31, 2019). The Pacific Review, Routledge, Volume 32, Issue 3, pp. 395-418. (Published online: 31 October 2018.), Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3964316

Emile Kok-Kheng Yeoh (Contact Author)

University of Malaya (UM) ( email )

Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan 50603
University of Malaya (UM)
Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan 50603
Malaysia

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