New Paradigm in National Security Policy

I picked up this report from Bernama which I thought is very appropriate to our study in National Security. It was very timely for Pak Lah to promote the paradigm in formulating the Policy in the wake of changing world order and environment. The U.S. National Security Strategy of 2002 is very hawkish and centred around the strategy of preemption and currently is showing its vulnerabilities in the handling of Iraq. The world need a change in the U.S. approach; one that is more with "moral order" and not just "security order". We have seen enough disorder and misery.
Pak Lah's approach is worth serious consideration.

December 16, 2005 23:43 PM

Muslim And Non-Muslim World Must Work In Tandem For Peace, Says PM
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 16 (Bernama) -- The Prime Minister Friday night called on the Muslim and non-Muslim worlds to work in tandem to close the chasm between them which has become more profound today.Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said to do so, Muslim leaders and scholars must succeed in reviving the true spirit of Islam and its teaching, while the international community must remove its "Islamophobia"."The Muslim Ummah acting alone will not be able to achieve total success. Islamophobia must also be removed at the same time. The International community must take a stand to stop actions which contribute directly or indirectly to the perpetuation of injustice, oppression or aggression against Muslim countries, anywhere and everywhere."The international community has a clear duty to disallow the marginalisation of Muslims and instead enable them to take part in influencing and setting the international agenda," said Abdullah in his keynote address at the Perdana Global Peace Forum gala dinner here.The Prime Minister said that at the same time the Muslim world must also shed its thinking that the West was a singular entity with a singular voice and agenda as many countries in that region had different approaches in dealing with international problems and they preferred inter-civilisational dialogues over the use of force.This kind of approach, said Abdullah, could be established at the international level involving the two worlds, provided each world was willing to discard its prejudices against the other.The Prime Minister urged the Western community to hold such dialogues with members of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) as they were important not only in international politics and diplomacy but also international economics and finance."It is estimated that the financial surpluses of Arab and other Muslim countries, in the US and other Western banks, are around US$800 billion. The OIC members provide 70 per cent of the world's energy requirement as well as 40 per cent of global raw material exports."The West can therefore look upon the Muslim world as a partner for development and prosperity, certainly not as an adversary," said Abdullah.He also suggested that the first step to take in holding such dialogues was for everybody to adopt a paradigm shift in thinking and in the formulation of security policies by nation states.Abdullah listed five fundamental shifts, the first being a "moral order" that must accompany "security order"."It must be a fundamentally ethical order. The rule of law must prevail, protecting every man, woman and child without distinction as to race, religion or wealth. All states, large and small, powerful or weak, shall be entitled to equal security and an equal say in common security," he said.The Prime Minister listed absolute centrality of people welfare as the second fundamental, stating that the welfare of people must lie at the heart of our struggles."Third, there are needs to shift focus from narrow national interest to enlightened national interest," he said, adding that by doing so the states could discover common interest and seek common cause with the others.The fourth fundamental, according to Abdullah, was a shift from a conflict approach towards security to a cooperative approach towards peace."When the states begin to perceive that their security cannot be attained at the expense of each other but with each other, it will then follow that they will pursue peace through cooperative rather than conflict approaches," he said.The fifth fundamental, said Abdullah, would need a shift from narrow pre-occupation with military security to a wider concern for comprehensive security."In essence, security encompasses the security of all the fundamental needs, core values and vital interests of the individual, the society and the state," he said.The Prime Minister also touched on Malaysia's Islam Hadhari (Civilisational Islam) approach, which was consistent with the objective of creating a stable international world order.The approach, he said, was not to pacify the West or to seek approval from the non-Muslims for a more friendly and gentle image of Islam, but an approach to make Muslims understand that progress and development were enjoined by Islam."We do not pretend that Malaysia has all the answers to the many problems of the Muslim world. We are also aware that different countries need different solutions to their problems, but I do believe that Malaysia can be a showcase of what it is to be a successful modern Muslim country," said Abdullah.Also present at the dinner were Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and his wife Tun Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamed Ali.-- BERNAMA