Abstract

With the political upheavals since the 2018 defeat of Barisan Nasional, Malaysia’s long-dominant ruling coalition, the country’s foreign policy took a back seat. Now, under Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, it is seeing a revival. Given the still-divided political landscape, Anwar’s approach emphasises soft power that draws on Malaysia’s foundational principles of non-interference, non-alignment, and sovereign equality, while also leveraging his own influence as a moderate Muslim leader.

Through his “Malaysia Madani”,  Anwar champions ethical governance and advocates for marginalised groups, such as the Rohingya and Palestinians, while promoting ASEAN-centred diplomacy. Alongside this diplomacy, Anwar also engages with BRICS, an alliance aimed at reshaping the global order. Can Anwar’s soft-power approach elevate Malaysia’s influence in an increasingly divided world, or will it force the country onto a precarious path, caught between competing global powers and domestic expectations?

About the Speaker

Ilango Karuppannan is a former Malaysian ambassador with over three decades of experience in the Malaysian foreign service.  His last overseas post was as Malaysian High Commissioner to Singapore.

After his tenure there, he served as Director of Public Sector Reform in the Manpower Modernisation and Planning Unit in the Prime Minister’s Department. He is currently Adjunct Professor at the University of Malaya and runs his own YouTube channel Diplomatify, where he discusses regional and global developments