Malaysia in 2023:Political Stability,Economic Growth and Balanced Diplomacy
The year 2023 marked a significant phase for Malaysia as it emerged from turbulence to restore socio-political and economic equilibrium.Under the leadership of Anwar Ibrahim,the Unity Government has achieved a"rare"political stability with the inter-coalition cooperation,the Anti-Hopping Law,the support from Sabah and Sarawak political parties and endorse-ment from the Malay monarchy after sixstate elections amidst challenges from the"green wave".Anwar,a globally minded Mus-lim politician,adeptly maintained a diplomatic balance through pragmatic economic diplomacy with ASEAN,the Islamic worl-dand major powers,thus sculpting a foreign policy characterized by non-alignment,economic prioritizationand the defence of human rights.Economically,Malaysia implemented the Madani Economy Framework and New Industrial Master Plan(NIMP2030),hastened the transition to a digital economy and continued to perform well in trade,achieving a modest growth of 3.7％.Despite the potential continuation of political stability,the Anwar Administration will face challenges such as escalating political polarization and the rise of Malay-Muslim populism in the future.With sustained domestic demand and improved exter-nal demand,economic growth is expected to continue.The foreign policy will remain rooted in"active neutrality"to maintain a balance between the East and West,reinforce trade and economic cooperation with other international organizations and middle powers,and promote religious and human rights diplomacy.The success of the Anwar administration in structural political and economic reforms,economic growth,anti-corruption,social equity and Malaysia's international influence will depend on its ability to integrate the nation's five key political factions.
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