SEJARAH PEMIKIRAN PANDANG KE TIMUR PADA ERA TUN HUSSEIN ONN

Abstract

This article analyzes the history of the ‘Look-To-The-East’ ideas in Malaysia in the period of Tun Hussein Onn’s administration. Over a decade after 1945, there were no official bilateral relations between Japan and the Malaya as Malaya was under British occupation again. Official bilateral relation between the Federation of Malaya and Japan only started when Kishi Nobosuke visited the Federation on 24 and 25 November 1957. Economic relations improved during the administration of Tun Abdul Razak when Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) financed the bulk of the Malaysia’s development projects. Malaysia and Japan’s economic relations strengthened during the administration of Tun Hussein Onn through the establishment of the Malaysia- Japan Economic Association (MAJECA) and Japan-Malaysia Economic Association (JAMECA). The Look-To-The-East ideas seemed unlikely to fade after the Second World War until the period of Tun Hussein Onn administration, a long period of 34 years. When Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad continued the Look-To-The-East ideas that led to the formation of the Look-To-The-East Policy, Japanese investment in the country grew and Japan emerged as Malaysia’s major trading partner.