FACTORS AFFECTING MALAYSIAN DEFENSE POLICY IN THE ERA OF TUN MAHATHIR MOHAMAD 1981-2003

Since 1957, Malaysia has developed a National Defense Policy (NDP) to ensure national security and sovereignty. The DPN reflects Malaysia's desire to be able to defend its strategic interests and maintain national security. During Mahathir's era, the defense policy was inclined towards self-reliance and changed its pattern i.e. upward, where before his administration it was in the form of dependency and neutrality and had a horizontal pattern. In the international arena, Tun's voice resonated to voice the aspirations of Third World countries and the commitment shown above other leaders. Self-reliance under Tun Mahathir's administration made aspects of Malaysia's defense policy more modern so that Tun Mahathir became a reference and attention throughout the world, especially Third World Countries. The three main factors that influenced Malaysia's defense policy during the era of Tun Mahathir Mohamad 1981-2003 that will be discussed, namely internal factors (internal factors), external factors (external factors) and Tun Mahathir Mohamad's idiosyncratic factors which made the aspects of Malaysia's security and defense policy more modern and 'gah' on the international stage.