On Sept 21, 1963, the London-based weekly The Economist heralded the birth of “…the brave new state, born on Monday”. If there is any consolation, the writer of “Malaysia: Brave New State” concluded that all federations were a gamble and Malaysia was no exception. The Economist was largely favourable in their coverage of events leading to independent Malaya and towards the formation of Malaysia. These representations of Malaya and Malaysia, were, however, made within the framework of superiority and power — the (colonial) dominance over other peoples and cultures, and indeed, a patronising attitude. If in September 1963, The Economist asserted that Malaysia was a gamble, in an earlier issue in February the same year, the periodical described the Malaysian idea as admirable.

Source: New Strait Times September 18, 2016 03:13 UTC