AT the start of his second stint as foreign minister, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah spoke about the push for a more open and consultative approach in how the Foreign Ministry engages its stakeholders.
Part of the new approach includes the proposal to establish a parliamentary select committee on international affairs, which Saifuddin says he will raise with the cabinet.
This proposal is a step in the right direction for foreign policymaking in Malaysia.
The rules and status quos underpinning much of the international architectures that are important to Malaysia have been under tremendous flux. The pandemic exacerbated these stress points.
Long-held mantras like wanting to be "friends with everyone" or blanket neutrality might make for soothing soundbites but are impractical to execute as a matter of policy in an international environment where Malaysia's interests are increasingly caught up in broader currents.
Yet, it is also a time of opportunity if Malaysia can recognise the emerging trends and manoeuvre itself accordingly.
Malaysia can and must leverage its competitive strengths to not just have a say in the new norms being shaped, but to position itself as the partner of choice in this region.
A more consultative, all-of-nation approach on how we prioritise our identities, advantages, weaknesses — discussed and debated by the legislature — is crucial for formulating more sustainable and relevant foreign policy strategies.
At the least, it will help expose more Malaysians, including most of our members of parliament (MPs), to the nuances of how foreign policy is developed and executed.
Another crucial reason for a select committee on foreign policy is that it is beyond high time for MPs to ponder on the fact that the Foreign Ministry remains one of the most underfunded ministries.
This year, it received an allocation of RM778 million, a drop from the RM817 million allocated last year. With this, the ministry has to manage not only its domestic costs but that of 111 foreign missions in 85 countries.
This is a full-time global duty, compounded by the ministry's role as one of the leading players in guiding Malaysia through a changing, disruptive international order.
It has to retain its existing capabilities and develop new ones. These don't come cheap.
Our diplomats work hard and are resourceful in making the most of what they have. But, the fact remains that how much resources we allocate will determine how much can be achieved.
Should it be approved by the cabinet, this will not be the first parliamentary select committee to focus on Malaysia's diplomacy and international engagements.
During the previous Pakatan Harapan government, a bipartisan International Relations and Trade Select Committee was announced in October 2019.
It may have been dissolved in December last year, apparently due in part to the inability of politicians from across the divide to work with each other.
In considering the prospect of a new select committee on international affairs, the cabinet and political stakeholders across the divide must be clear on the importance of institutionalising such committees within the framework of Parliament.
It will mean little if these are formed only to crumble again when political alliances shift or new coalitions call the shots.
Repeating the mistakes of the past, especially in crafting national policies, is costly. But, these we can avoid, if we are serious about it.
A common refrain among practitioners and observers of Malaysia's foreign policy is that it remains the preserve of the elite. This is unlikely to change much in the foreseeable future, perhaps for the better.
But, a more consultative process is the start to what might hopefully be a more democratic environment for foreign policymaking in Malaysia.
A Malaysia where more people feel that they have a stake in how our country is represented abroad.
The writer is a senior fellow with the Institute of Strategic & International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times