KUALA LUMPUR: The move to allow exiled Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy to meet Dewan Rakyat backbenchers could be attributed to Malaysia’s new foreign policy of no longer strictly adhering to the principle of non-interference in another nation’s domestic issues.
This was despite such principles and purposes being outlined by the Charter of the United Nations on non-intervention into the internal affairs of another foreign state.
This change is attributed to Malaysia’s new-found democratic practices following Pakatan Harapan’s victory in the
14th General Election (GE14) at the regional and international levels.
Malaysia’s moving away from the non-interference policy can be seen from its remarks against Asean member Myanmar over the Rohingya issue.
Senior fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs Dr Oh Ei Sun said unlike Cambodia, Malaysia was a much more fully-fledged democracy following the change of government after GE14, a first in its 62-year history.
“There are more checks and balances between the executive and legislative branches of the government.
“As such, the executive branch, which is derived from the legislative branch, may not interfere with the workings of the latter, even if they involve foreign affairs or risk a confrontational backlash, sometimes in the form of a vote of no confidence.
“This is especially so when the Cambodian government is increasingly viewed internationally as being autocratic and repressive of its opposition.”
Datuk Dr Fauziah Mohd Taib, in her New Straits Times’ op-ed commentary, said the principle of non-interference, although it was not absolute, first appeared in the Asean foundation document — the Bangkok Declaration of 1967.
The former Malaysian ambassador to Fiji and the Netherlands said the principle was reiterated in the Kuala Lumpur Declaration of 1997.
However, she said, developments in Asean member states over the years compelled them to make public assertions against another in the regional bloc.
Oh said: “As a newly democratised nation, Malaysia could not afford to be viewed as aiding and abetting in the Cambodian oppression.”
Geopolitical expert Azmi Hassan said Malaysia broke the tradition of adhering to the non-interference policy when the country demanded that the Myanmar government stop its oppression against the Rohingya.
“This Malaysian policy involving the Rohingya holds until today. If one were to compare issues involving Rainsy and Malaysia’s stand on the plight of the Rohingya, then it seems that Malaysia’s stand towards Cambodia is no different to that of Myanmar.
“Hence, there is nothing wrong with inviting Cambodian dissidents and meeting our parliamentarians both from the government and opposition.”
Azmi said some quarters might argue that issues related to Sam Rainsy might be inclined towards violation against the principle of democracy.
“If Malaysia starts to interfere in democratic issues or lack of it, then it will open up to a lot of interpretation on democratic practices among Asean members.
“For example, some may view democracy in Singapore as being very limited in its true sense compared with the practice in Indonesia. So does Malaysia or Indonesia have the right to interfere in Singapore affairs?
“On that note, I think Cambodia’s leaders would be very keen to interfere in Malaysia’s affairs using the same argument.”
Sam Rainsy, the acting president of the Cambodian National Rescue Party, and party vice-president Mu Sochua had planned to land in Cambodia on Nov 9 to lead demonstrations against Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.
He and Mu Sochua eventually arrived in Malaysia and said they would stay in the region.