For the European defence industry Malaysia was once one of their favourite foreign defence markets, it offered good programmes to try and win. Equally as important was the fact that Malaysia was politically stable, therefore it was possible to build long-term relationships with key decision makers. This political stability also provided the basis for long-term defence acquisition planning, potentially allowing customers and suppliers to work together to generate satisfactory procurement outcomes. Over time though, this 'idealised' defence procurement structure changed. The relatively benign system that had been so satisfactory in the past became much more competitive. The political stability that had been so highly prized in Malaysia started to unravel, with political factionalism becoming more and more visible. It should be noted that Malaysia's economy continued to develop, reflecting the better financial performance and higher sophistication of many of the national economies of Southeast Asia. Economic growth meant that political leaders could set ambitious development goals, geared towards further developing the national economy and improving the economic outcomes and social opportunities available to Malaysia's population.
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