RP-Malaysia love-hate relations

The president is on a state visit to Malaysia, a country with a long history of diplomatic, cultural, and economic ties with the Philippines, but with some past territorial dispute with us over a portion of Sabah, and currently with conflicting claims over some parts of the Spratlys in the West Philippine Seas. This state visit is PBBM's reciprocation of the state visit by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Anwar Ibrahim to the Philippines.

This writer happens to have lived in Malaysia for three years as a Labor attaché, assigned in our embassy in Kuala Lumpur and with jurisdiction over the 13 federated states as well as the federal territories of KL, Putra Jaya, and the Island of Labuan. I have visited all the 13 states from the northernmost Perlis in the borders with Thailand, to the southernmost Johor, near Singapore. And those includes Kedah, Penang Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Malacca. In the island of Borneo, there are two states; Sabah and Sarawak sharing the same island and bordering Indonesia and Brunei.

We have half-a-million documented OFWs and double that figure for the undocumented. Unlike the Philippines, the government of Malaysia is a constitutional federal and parliamentary type with a very unique elective monarchy. Out of the 13 states, nine are ruled by sultans who are royal sovereigns in their respective territories. They acquire their sultanate by heredity as the first male child of any ruling sultan. The nine sultans elect among themselves the king of Malaysia who rules for a term of five years. But the election is highly ceremonial because the nine states have agreed to the sequence of being elected king or the yang dipertuan agong. The four states without a sultan are Penang, Malacca, Sabah, and Sarawak. They have governors.

The Philippines and Malaysia have a long history of alliance, starting from the Maphilindo or the triumvirate of Malaysia, Philippines, and Indonesia, then the SEATO, or the US-sponsored Southeast Asia Treaty Organization. In 1967, five nations formed the ASEAN in Bangkok with the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand as founding members. Only very much later were they joined by Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Brunei.

Malaysia and the Philippines are important trading partners. Not long ago, our country was Malaysia's 16th largest export market and ninth largest import market. Among the ASEAN members, Malaysia is the second biggest investor in our country.

Unlike 50 years ago, when the Philippines was the strongest among the ASEAN nations and second only to Japan in the whole of Asia, today, Malaysia is  definitely richer and stronger economically in terms of GDP and per-capita income. It has a bigger area and a much smaller population. There are only 33 million Malaysians while there are 113 million Filipinos. Malaysia's GDP (PPP) is $1.230 trillion and its per capita income (PPP) is $36,847. We have a slightly bigger GDP of $1.269 trillion but our per capita suffers by comparison at only $11,420. We are being pulled down by too high a population. The Filipinos produce more babies three times faster than Malaysians.

The Filipinos have so much to learn from Malaysia especially in the area of the economy, trade, industry, even in the care and concern for the environment, a progressive, inclusive, and multicultural education, social, cultural, health, tourism, and other areas of human endeavors. They have two million tourists every month. Their rivers and seas, their lakes and waterfalls are cleaner and less polluted. They have beautiful forests and parks. Their food, music and arts are comparable to ours. But their crime rates, their illegal drug use, and social delinquency rates are better than ours.

If given another chance to work as a diplomat, I would readily choose Malaysia over Taiwan, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, or Vietnam. I prefer to live in Kuala Lumpur than in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Seoul, Taipei, or Bangkok. Malaysia is a beautiful country with warm and engaging people. It is a safe haven for tourists and expats, OFWs, and diplomats. My best years in foreign assignments were spent in this true paradise in Asia. Of course, we ‘Love the Philippines’. But I enjoy visiting Malaysia. The president and the first lady will treasure their moments with the king and the prime minister. Selamat datang, Apo Lakay BBM.