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This thesis aims to understand the motivation underpinning Malaysia's foreign policy during the period when Dr Mahathir Mohamad was its prime minister (1981-2003), In particular, it questions the adequacy of understanding Malaysia's foreign policy as being driven only by concerns for security and a search for acquisition of wealth. This thesis proposes that the desire to seek recognition was also significant, even if it might not be, in some instances, the driver of Malaysia's foreign policy. In exploring the quest for recognition, this thesis adopts a qualitative method of inquiry. It discusses the 'belief system' of Mahathir and uses both public and private pronouncements of his beliefs as evidence of the importance of his personal quest for recognition as compared to other motives of enhancing security and wealth acquisition. For this purpose, this thesis draws on Axel Honneth's insights on the struggle for recognition in order to offer a systematic understanding of the different modes of recognition. The case studies of this thesis focus on three separate foreign policy addressees - the developing countries of the 'South', the Islamic ummah and the countries of East Asia. These three respective areas pertaining to Malaysia's foreign policy issues were given significant emphasis by Mahathir and received special attention by foreign policy decision - makers. In addition, they make appropriate case studies because understandings of their importance are generally attributed only to the country's search for security or its economic interest. In answering the question to what extent the desire for recognition enhances our understanding of Malaysia's foreign policy under Mahathir, this thesis concludes that in some areas of policy, the search for recognition was a dominant, and almost an over-arching motivation. In other areas, the struggle for recognition remained significant, even though it might not have been the primary motivation.

There was a significant change in the Malaysia's attitude to the Commonwealth when Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia's fourth Prime Minister, came to power in 1981. In contrast to his predecessors who had supported the Commonwealth, Mahathir took a dim view of it, at least during his first five years in office. This reflected his disenchantment with the British whom he regarded as arrogant, his strong nationalist credentials, and his initial tendency to regard the Commonwealth as a 'British' organisation. In practice this translated into several steps that some Malaysians interpreted as indicating that the Prime Minister intended to withdraw Malaysia from the organisation. The most important of these steps was the two 1986 reviews that Mahathir ordered into Malaysia's position in the Commonwealth. However, by 1985, the premier's attitude began changing. Mahathir's discovery of, and awakened interest in, the Commonwealth was evidenced by his decision to attend Commonwealth Prime Ministers Meetings and to play host to major Commonwealth events. Ultimately, the Commonwealth became an important avenue for Mahathir to draw the attention of other developing states to Malaysia's example of economic and social development and to assist them to emulate her experience. This thesis aims to trace and account for the changing significance of the Commonwealth in the formulation and conduct of Malaysia's foreign policy during Mahathir's era. In particular, it examines the factors that led to Mahathir's disenchantment towards the Commonwealth. Further, the research analyses the reasons for, and the results of the reviews, and consider the extent to which the reports he commissioned in 1986 contributed to the changed of attitude of Mahathir. The thesis also scrutinises the reasons for Mahathir's changed attitude towards the organisation. This draws attention to the appeal of Commonwealth membership and the final part of the thesis considers how Malaysia's active involvement in Commonwealth programmes benefitted the country not only during the 22 years of Tun Dr. Mahathir's premiership, but since the early stage of her membership.

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