Funan: The Earliest Maritime Kingdom of Southeast Asia

A kingdom with an impressive wealth and an extraordinary network, the Funan Kingdom stood as one of the earliest most powerful kingdoms in Southeast Asia. With the capital in Vyadapura or the City of Hunters in Khmer language, it dominated the area that composed Cambodia, Vietnam, and parts of the Malaya Peninsula and Thailand. It ruled the area from the 3rd and up to the 7th century. But with the changing in the maritime trade of Asia, Funan felt the effects catastrophically, leading eventually into its assimilation with its neighboring kingdom.

Briggs Plan: Containment of the Communists

New Villages - Product of the Briggs Plan (Credits: National Army Museum)

The world, after World War II, faced a new war, a war between two ideologies, between communism and democracy – the Cold War. Malaysia was among the nations ravaged by the new Cold War. As communist threats rose, the British had to act to contain it at the most efficient way. As the communist held influenced over the Chinese squatter’s hearts and minds, the British had to contain it in order to win. Their answer was the Briggs Plan.

Look East Policy of Malaysia

Mahathir Mohamad

Asia in 1980’s was the image of rapid economic growth. Many Asian nations starting with Japan, followed by the Five Asian Tigers, showed to the world rapidly growing economies. Malaysia was among the industrializing nations during those days wanted to emulate the miracles of these Asian nations, especially Japan. And with a new Prime Minister in 1981, he launched a new slogan that would direct his close relation to Japan and other Asian countries.

Buy British Last Policy of Mahathir

Mahathir Mohamad

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad led Malaysia over a diplomatic clash against its former colonizer, Great Britain. Malaysia ended its status as a British colony by gaining independence in 1957. By 1981, the Federation of Malaysia was a developing nation, striving to achieve the status of an industrialized and developed country. In July of the same year, Mahathir Mohamad, a well-known Malaysian nationalist became Prime Minister. A few months later, events took place that led to the implementation of a directive known as the Buy British Last Policy.