Kuala Lampur, May 4 -- There was a time when the rising sun of Japan was the guiding light for Malaysia's economic ambitions. The "Look East Policy," inaugurated by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad in the early 1980s, was more than just a diplomatic slogan; it was a national ethos. It painted Japan not just as a trading partner, but as a civilisational model - a testament to what an Asian nation could achieve through discipline, hard work, and a unique brand of corporate capitalism.

Today, however, the landscape tells a different story. The billboards that once championed Sony and Mitsubishi now glow with the branding of Huawei, BYD, and Samsung. China has unquestionably become Malaysia's dominant economic partner. The question is why this tecton...