Oleh/By		:	DATO' SERI DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMAD 
Tempat/Venue 	: 	ISTANA HOTEL, KUALA LUMPUR 
Tarikh/Date 	: 	30/04/93 
Tajuk/Title  	: 	THE MALAYSIA CHINA 
			FRIENDSHIP ASSOCIATION 



   It   is  a  pleasure for  me and  my wife to be  invited
  to   this   dinner   organised  by  the Malaysia   China
  Friendship  Association  for the honour
  2.  In  accepting the  appointment as patron of MCFA,  I
  have   given  consideration  to  the  purpose and  value
  of such  an  Association in
  3.  political  and  cultural  relationship  with  China.
  Over  the  course of  in search  of trade.   Because  of
  the  monsoons  many  stayed  back  to  await  favourable
  weather.    Some  started  to do  onshore business   and
  very  so  on  many stayed back for longer   periods  and
  even  permanently.  Since the sailors and  traders   did
  not   include   women,   many   married    locals    and
  accepted    local   customs   and   language.   Soon   a
  distinctive  Chinese Malay  culture  evolved  and  these
  people   came to  be known as Babas  and Nyonyas.   They
  blended   very  well  with the local Malays   and  lived
  harmoniously  with them.
  4.   culture.   This distinct blending was found  mainly
   in  Malacca  and later in Singapore and  Penang.   Since
  the  numbers  were  never very  the Malays or  to  their
  culture.   The Babas dan Nyonyas  also  did   not   feel
  that  they  were  forgetting  their  Chinese  identity.
  5.   Then  came  the  British.  Almost immediately  they
  began  to   identify   the   Babas  and  Nyonyas  as   a
  separate   group.   They   were  classified  as  Straits
  Chinese.   Through the spread of  English  as a language
  of  administration and  commerce, the  Straits Chinese
  were  reduced.  to the extent that the Babas and Nyonyas
  came  to  regard  them  selves as  British   formed  the
  Straits  themselves to be the King's Chinese.  The  gulf
  between  the  Malays and the Babas widened.
  6.   The   activities.   They  consequently   encouraged
  mass   immigration   of  Chinese  from  mainland  China.
  These   immigrants  came  so  rapidly that they  had  no
  time to integrate  either with the  Straits  actively
  7.   Chinese  of  each  other.  Most  Chinese  sincerely
   felt   they  were  Malayan  citizens  while the   Malays
  felt  they  were  aliens.  Normally  this would   result
  in  continuous   racial conflicts  which  would  destroy
  the  country.  This  is what  happens to  most countries
  with a multi racial  population.
  8.   But fortunately for Malaysia,  good sense prevailed
  both    among   the  Malays  as  well  as  the   Chinese
  Malaysians.   Except  for the  racial  riots   in  1969,
  the  races  in Malaysia  have  lived,  if  not   totally
  harmoniously,   at  least  peacefully.    The   original
  racial    confrontation  has  given  way   to   sensible
  debates   and  consultations.  The  attempts   by   some
  to  win   support through  response.  The   majority  of
  the   people  prefer  cooperation  to confrontation  and
  are   happy  to  forget racial origins  in   the  larger
  interest of the nation.
  9.   It  is  as an  independent nation that  we  conduct
  foreign  policy now.  The  people  of  Malaysia   belong
  here.   Their   origins  As much as their roots   should
   not  divide   them, their roots  too should not  be  the
  dominant   basis   of   their  relations   with    other
  countries.
  10.     Because_of    ideological    differences,    the
  relationship   between Malaysia  and China  was,  for  a
  long   time,   not  as  good  as it should   Today,  the
  is  very  much
  11.   China   with  roots in  denied.   affinities.   If
  that is not a bad thing.
  12.     Malaysia   also   recognises   China    as    an
  independent  nation.   accepted.  But  China  is   based
  on   their   being  Malaysians,  albeit   with   Chinese
  roots.   If  this  contributes  towards easier  contacts
  and understanding it is
  13.  _The  time has now  come to maximise  the  positive
  aspects   of   land  China.   the   linkages   and   the
  friendship   of  Malaysian and Chinese  peoples.   Today
  Malaysians   are   investing  and  helping  to   develop
  China.    On  the  other  hand,  China  with   its   1.2
  billion people is the  biggest  oil.  The  Chinese   are
   also   investing  and  proposing   many   joint  venture
  projects  in  Malaysia.
  14.   The   economic linkages  and  interaction  between
  China   and  the benefit of  both countries.   In  order
  that   there  should   be greater  greater   cooperation
  body such as the MCFA is
  15.   position    to    take     initiatives     without
  committing   the   governments.   It   will    not    be
  hamstrung  by  bureaucratic  redtape or formalities.  On
  the  other  hand,  if  its initiative   is  contrary  to
  official   policies,  it  will  not  be   difficult   to
  reverse it or to drop it.
  16.   for   Nothing  facilitates trade  more   than  the
  closeness    of   the    relationship     between    the
  individuals   doing  the   business.   Doing    business
  with   total strangers is  fraught  with all   kinds  of
  risks.
  17.    The   Association   can  provide  a   forum   for
  individuals  in  Malaysia who are interested  in  China,
  to  meet.  A  counterpart  Association   in   China  can
   provide  similar  facilities for  Chinese  nationals  in
  China.   The contact and  interaction  between the two
  for  Malaysian  and
  18.   On   the   other  hand,   the    Association   can
  provide  information on China in  order to increase  the
  knowledge   of  Malaysians about things Chinese.    This
  should   include  the  culture and way of  life  of  the
  Chinese.   There is no  doubt  that such knowledge  will
  not  only   promote  friendship  and  understanding  but
  will    also    facilitate    commerce     and    trade.
  Misunderstandings  too  can  be  eliminated  or  tackled
  early.
  19.    Ideologically  we  are   still   different.   But
  Malaysia's   policy  is to ignore these  differences  in
  the conduct of  her  foreign relations.  As much as   we
  do  not  wish   to  export or  impose  our  ideology  on
  others,  we are sure others, including  China, will  not
  want to  propagate its  ideology  here.  Nor  should  we
  want  to  interfere  in the internal  affairs   of  each
   other.  These  parameters  need  to  be  understood  and
  propagated  by the MCFA.
  20.  As  much  as the Malaysian Chinese have  a  special
  interest  in China, Malays have  a special  interest  in
  the  Muslims  of   China.  It is a  matter  of  constant
  surprise for the  Malays  to find that  Malays in   help
  foster  understanding and  friendship between  the two
  peoples.
  21.    China's   acceptance   of   the   principles   of
  peaceful   coexistence  is  most  significant.  Disputes
  will  arise  between   the best of   based   on   agreed
  principles,   resolutions   are   much   more    likely.
  Malaysia    is   less   apprehensive    about   possible
  disputes   because  of   the  principles   which  govern
  China's   foreign  relations.  Malaysia  of  course  has
  always adhered to  these principles.
  22.     I    foresee   the   development   of    greater
  cooperation   between the governments  of  Malaysia  and
  China  in  the   future  as the economies  of   our  two
   countries   expand.   At  the  same   time   there  will
  inevitably  be more  contacts  between  the  peoples  of
  our  two   countries.  Whether through   government   or
  private  sponsorship,  these exchanges  of  visits  will
  bring   benefits  to both sides. For example,  over  the
  last  one year,  private  corporations in Malaysia  have
  extended  invitations  to Chinese  state and  provincial
  delegations  to  study  our  market   economy  and  city
  systems.  Malaysia  will  benefit a  great   deal   from
  Chinese    scientific  and  technological  developments,
  including      advances     in    traditional     herbal
  medicine.   Now  that we have a   MCFA,   I   hope   the
  informal  linkages which already existed in the  private
  sector,   would   be  further  strengthened  to   foster
  friendship and cooperation  with China.
  23.   I  the Chairman of the MCFA and to the members  of
  the   committee   for  their  efforts  in  forming   the
  Association.   Thank you.