title: Malaysia and South-South cooperation: the determining factors and implications

authors: Hamid, Ahmad Faiz

abstract: This study focuses on Malaysia’s involvement in South-South cooperation from 1986 to 1996. South-South cooperation is defined as the strategy used by developing countries to promote economic independence, to increase self-reliance, and to improve bargaining power with the developed nations. Malaysia, particularly its Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has been actively involved in South-South cooperation for more than a decade. The study attempts to identify and analyse the determining factors and the implications of Malaysia’s involvement in South-South cooperation. The significance of this study lies in the fact that there has not been any thorough study on Malaysia’s involvement in South-South cooperation. 

This study attempts to address four critical issues. What are the factors that influenced Malaysia’s interactions with developing countries and the implications of the relationship to both parties? What are the impacts of Mahathir’s leadership on Malaysia’s involvement in South-South cooperation? What are the factors that influenced Mahathir’s involvement in articulating the North-South issues and what are the implications of his actions? Finally, what are the prospects and problems of Malaysia’s economic relations with developing countries, particularly with Indochina states and South Pacific countries?

In the context of determining factors, although many factors have contributed to Malaysia’s involvement, nation’s national interests, external factors and leadership variables are argued to be more significant. The study also argues that Malaysia’s high profile in voicing the North-South issues and its private sector involvement in the South has created resentment from several parties, especially from the NGOs, the Western media, the regional powers and local business groups. Finally, the study detected that South-South cooperation is an effective means for Malaysia to enhance its own economic interests.

For the case of Malaysia’s relations with the Indochina states and the South Pacific countries, the study found that Malaysia's economic interests has been a crucial determinant of the depth of the relationship. In terms of economic interests, Indochina states are more promising to the relationship than the South Pacific region. It is hoped this study will be a significant contribution to the study of Malaysian foreign policy, particularly on Malaysia’s relations with Third World countries.

text: Malaysia and South-South cooperation: the determining factors and implications This study focuses on Malaysia’s involvement in South-South cooperation from 1986 to 1996. South-South cooperation is defined as the strategy used by developing countries to promote economic independence, to increase self-reliance, and to improve bargaining power with the developed nations. Malaysia, particularly its Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has been actively involved in South-South cooperation for more than a decade. The study attempts to identify and analyse the determining factors and the implications of Malaysia’s involvement in South-South cooperation. The significance of this study lies in the fact that there has not been any thorough study on Malaysia’s involvement in South-South cooperation. 

This study attempts to address four critical issues. What are the factors that influenced Malaysia’s interactions with developing countries and the implications of the relationship to both parties? What are the impacts of Mahathir’s leadership on Malaysia’s involvement in South-South cooperation? What are the factors that influenced Mahathir’s involvement in articulating the North-South issues and what are the implications of his actions? Finally, what are the prospects and problems of Malaysia’s economic relations with developing countries, particularly with Indochina states and South Pacific countries?

In the context of determining factors, although many factors have contributed to Malaysia’s involvement, nation’s national interests, external factors and leadership variables are argued to be more significant. The study also argues that Malaysia’s high profile in voicing the North-South issues and its private sector involvement in the South has created resentment from several parties, especially from the NGOs, the Western media, the regional powers and local business groups. Finally, the study detected that South-South cooperation is an effective means for Malaysia to enhance its own economic interests.

For the case of Malaysia’s relations with the Indochina states and the South Pacific countries, the study found that Malaysia's economic interests has been a crucial determinant of the depth of the relationship. In terms of economic interests, Indochina states are more promising to the relationship than the South Pacific region. It is hoped this study will be a significant contribution to the study of Malaysian foreign policy, particularly on Malaysia’s relations with Third World countries.

year: 1999

title: Reflectivity Measurement System Development and Calibration

authors: Peng, Tao

subjects: reflectivity

abstract: Accurate assessment of road luminance provided by overhead streetlights helps to optimize the visibility of objects on the road and therefore promotes driver safety, while minimizing energy consumption. To calculate road luminance, the road surface reflectivity has to be known. Odyssey Energy Limited has developed a prototype system that has the potential to determine the road reflectivity properties at high speed.

In this thesis, an investigation into the prototype system has been conducted and further enhancement and redesign has been done. A portable on-site road surface reflectivity measurement system that complies with the Commission Internationale de I' Eclairage (CIE) standard was developed. The road test of this new system has been carried out on a series of Hamilton city roads. It proved that the new system is capable of measuring the road surface reflectivity and classifying the road into its appropriate R class according to the CIE standards specified in street lighting design criteria. Later the OEL prototype system was calibrated against the new system to find out the correlation between the two systems.

text: Reflectivity Measurement System Development and Calibration Accurate assessment of road luminance provided by overhead streetlights helps to optimize the visibility of objects on the road and therefore promotes driver safety, while minimizing energy consumption. To calculate road luminance, the road surface reflectivity has to be known. Odyssey Energy Limited has developed a prototype system that has the potential to determine the road reflectivity properties at high speed.

In this thesis, an investigation into the prototype system has been conducted and further enhancement and redesign has been done. A portable on-site road surface reflectivity measurement system that complies with the Commission Internationale de I' Eclairage (CIE) standard was developed. The road test of this new system has been carried out on a series of Hamilton city roads. It proved that the new system is capable of measuring the road surface reflectivity and classifying the road into its appropriate R class according to the CIE standards specified in street lighting design criteria. Later the OEL prototype system was calibrated against the new system to find out the correlation between the two systems.

year: 2007

title: Te reo Maori, philosophy and colonialism: A conversation with Maori philosopher Carl Mika

authors: Peters, Michael A.

abstract: Kia ora Carl
Some advice if you have the time... I have been asked to give a paper at Uppsala on philosophy of language and autonomy. I want to focus on colonialism and use some examples from the colonial history concerning te reo Maori. I did a little research at the time of the Royal Commission in 1988 but have lost touch with the literature. Are there a couple of strategic texts you would recommend?
Nga Mihi

Kia ora Michael
You tend to get two types of writing about the language: its revitalisation; and its link to the natural or spiritual worlds – which is to do with philosophy in a particular sense, but in my view doesn’t have an eye towards the “autonomy” part you raise (i.e. isn’t cognisant enough of colonialism). The latter writing theorises around the traditional place of language, or describes it as a traditional phenomenon. I’ve been considering writing something for some time on it, but just haven’t gotten around to it.
You could discuss it in terms of how current uses of it in government policy etc. force the Maori language to become no more or no less than its English counterpart. So, for instance, language is an arbitrary (Saussure) thing that has very little in the way of “essence” in its own (autonomous) right. Terms like “whakapapa” equate precisely with “genealogy” but their interconnecting sense is lost in that translation. From a Maori belief, it could be argued that everything contains an essence, including words, and this essence precedes our interaction with language. In a way, language very much opens up a worldview, including the autonomy or essence of things in the world and their interconnectedness. pp. 101–110

text: Te reo Maori, philosophy and colonialism: A conversation with Maori philosopher Carl Mika Kia ora Carl
Some advice if you have the time... I have been asked to give a paper at Uppsala on philosophy of language and autonomy. I want to focus on colonialism and use some examples from the colonial history concerning te reo Maori. I did a little research at the time of the Royal Commission in 1988 but have lost touch with the literature. Are there a couple of strategic texts you would recommend?
Nga Mihi

Kia ora Michael
You tend to get two types of writing about the language: its revitalisation; and its link to the natural or spiritual worlds – which is to do with philosophy in a particular sense, but in my view doesn’t have an eye towards the “autonomy” part you raise (i.e. isn’t cognisant enough of colonialism). The latter writing theorises around the traditional place of language, or describes it as a traditional phenomenon. I’ve been considering writing something for some time on it, but just haven’t gotten around to it.
You could discuss it in terms of how current uses of it in government policy etc. force the Maori language to become no more or no less than its English counterpart. So, for instance, language is an arbitrary (Saussure) thing that has very little in the way of “essence” in its own (autonomous) right. Terms like “whakapapa” equate precisely with “genealogy” but their interconnecting sense is lost in that translation. From a Maori belief, it could be argued that everything contains an essence, including words, and this essence precedes our interaction with language. In a way, language very much opens up a worldview, including the autonomy or essence of things in the world and their interconnectedness. pp. 101–110

year: 2015