Malaysia is making a global come back

WHILE Aug 31 is well-known in Malaysia as National Day, Sept 16 marks the formation of Malaysia in 1963 when Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak, and Singapore signed the Malaysia Agreement (MA1963).

Although Singapore would consent peacefully to leave the Federation 22 months later, in August 1965, one must not forget that Singapore was quick to note the importance of regionalism – the attempt to create a region, a stable one not least, larger than the whole. Thus, on Aug 8, 1967, the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) was born.