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Four new species of the genus Palpoxena Baly, 1861 are described from Malaysia and Indonesia. Palpoxena achehensis sp. n. belongs to the P. bipartita (Jacoby, 1879) species group from Sumatra. This species has red elytra with the basal part black, the maxillary palpomere III is swollen, not flattened, eyes large, the antennomere III is strongly modified hook-shaped; the space between antennal sockets is flattened; the clypeus is with deep and wide excavation almost reaching eyes, the narrow space between them with the tubercle bearing the tuft of bristles on each side; antennae are slender, extended beyond apex of elytra; antennomere III is slightly flattened, antennomeres IV–V are cylindrical. Palpoxena sp. and Palpoxena klimenkoi sp. n. belong to the P. laeta Baly, 1861 species group from Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra and Borneo. Palpoxena sp. from Sumatra, having the strongly enlarged and swollen protarsomere I, is most similar to Palpoxena shayakhmetovai Kizub, 2016 from Peninsular Malaysia and is possibly a Sumatran subspecies of the latter taxon. Although there are slight differences between them in the body colouration, the shape of the aedeagus and in the length/width ratio of the protarsomere I; it is not described as a new to sciences in this paper. Palpoxena klimenkoi sp. n. differs from other members of the species group by the following combination of characters: elytra dark bluish with narrow basal area; epipleura have very narrow sutural margin and wide apical area brown; antennomeres III–VIII are thickened, about 1.4–1.5 times wider than antennomere II, covered with not dense, short and adpressed setae on the ventral surface; the maxillary palpomere III is half-ellipsoid, with the slightly elongated and sharpened apical margin. Palpoxena parasabahensis sp. n. belongs to the P. variabilis (Jacoby, 1886) species group from Borneo. This new species differs from other members of the group by elytra green with reddish brown apex and entirely brown legs. In addition, only this species has the apex of the antennomere I with the protruding outer corner and the labrum with two long structures on inner side. Palpoxena trusmadiensis sp. n. has elytra green-blue or blue and tibiae darkened. This species differs from all congeners by the shape of the maxillary palpomere III which is slightly enlarged and flattened, but just a little wider than the palpomere II. Figures of the general view and the aedeagus are given for mentioned above and related species. A new key for males of the genus Palpoxena from Malaysia and Indonesia is proposed.

This paper analyzes the Islam’s impact on the Malaysian politics. Islam as an instrument of Malaysia’s foreign policy has been used by the political elite of the state for decades. Observers note the Islamization of the country’s foreign policy, especially during the premiership of Najib Razak (2008– 2018). However, the trend towards Islamization can be traced back to the moment Malaysia gained independence from Great Britain in 1957 and especially during the premiership of Mahathir Mohamad (1981–2003). The formation of such a foreign policy of Malaysia took place against the background of the Islamization of the political and social environment within the country, which, in turn, was the result of an internal political struggle. Thus, the projection of Malaysia’s identity into the outside world and the foreign policy corresponding to this identity was often motivated by the need to retain or attract the support of the malay-muslim majority in the domestic political arena. Since many of the issues raised in the article relate to identity both at the national and global level, a constructivist paradigm is used to conceptualize Malaysia’s foreign policy with a special emphasis on the identity of states. Particularly important in this process is the formation of domestic and foreign policy discourse. Malaysia’s Islamic identity is viewed externally in three dimensions: the Sunni state, the activist state in the Islamic world and the standard of moderate Islam. Consideration of these dimensions reveals quite obvious contradictions between them, as well as between rhetoric and real politics.

It seems that the main goal of Islamic finance is equal distribution because Islam believes that the mass exploitation of resources for obtaining maximum profits could create inequity in society; besides the principles of Islamic transaction are required to check inequities, exploitation and the creation of an imbalance in Islamic society by using a different type of concepts, rules and principles to eradicate unjust enrichment. In other words, Islamic banks are in the race to innovate and introduce many numbers of products and services to remain competitive in the industry as well as profitable. In order to compete with conventional banks and capture greater profits and market share, Islamic banks are making huge ef-forts to acquire the maximum number of customers by providing and offering a large number of products as an alternative for interest-based banking services and products. Malaysia is one of the first countries in the world that started Islamic banking and supported this type of banking for customers around the world. It has been argued that this country is the most developed nation in the world in the area of Islam-ic banking and the competition that exists between Islamic banking and convention banking methods is very fierce. This paper summarizes different phase of Islamic banking in this country and the steps that has been passed by this nation to have such a success in the banking industry.

The region of Southeast Asia has always gained attention from colonial powers because it sits astride major sea lines of communications (SLOCs), and also has abundant natural resources which has fulfilled the economic ambitions of the colonial powers. Following the independence of many of the Southeast Asian countries in 1940s and early 1950s, the colonial powers tried to manage the ideological fault lines given the fact that this region lies very close to China and Russia. The formation of ASEAN was primarily to counter their ideological influence, particularly communism, after riots were seen in a few Southeast Asian countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia. India and ASEAN began to develop relations after the end of the Cold War. Their relationship, which was based on cultural and religious interactions, also fulfilled political objectives of stimulating the newly developing states to join the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). ASEAN and India have completed nearly three decades of interaction as dialogue partners and within the frame of ASEAN plus one dialogue process, developing strategic ties and defence relations with a number of countries in Southeast Asia. In 2012 India and ASEAN also signed the strategic partnership agreement. Their economic complementarity developed with the growth of the Indian economy, as many Southeast Asian countries needed a large market like India. This paper analyzes different facets of relationships between the two sides and also proposes how the relationship can be enhanced, looking into future challenges primarily in areas of regional security and economics.

During the period of colonialism the implementation of colonial capitalism resulted in the integration of Southeast Asia into the global economy, which directly influenced the local socio-economic system. The changes occurring in the region since the 19th century, which is the period discussed in this article, can be analyzed from many points of view. The following paper focuses on the territory of present-day Malaysia, an exceptionally heterogeneous country, and it analyses the results of this transformation and the influence it had on the current socio-economic system. Colonialism has undeniably contributed to the economic growth of the Malay Peninsula while excluding parts of the population and destroying local institutions and existing models of the socio-economic system. Despite this apparent quantitative growth, oligarchic institutions were created, impeding the area's actual qualitative socio-economic development. The decolonization process did not change it sufficiently. The first aim of the article is to indicate the direct historical relationship between colonial capitalism, violently implemented by colonial empires in the conquered territories, and the crony capitalism formed after the decolonization period. Secondly, the author tries to identify oligarchic institutions and the outcomes of their influence. These institutions were created in the historical process within colonial capitalism and are still present today. They fundamentally influence the politics and society of contemporary Malaysia, thus inhibiting qualitative socio-economic transformation. Thirdly, the author, using a variety of indicators and indexes measuring, for example, corruption, the democratization process, or social development, seeks to demonstrate the power of crony capitalism and its institutions and their impact on impeding socio-economic development.

Endelus (s. str.) lopatini sp. n. from Malaysia and Endelus (s. str.) karagyanae sp. n. from the Philippines are described. The new species belong to Endelus (s. str.) minutus Kerremans, 1900, gr. n., speciesgroup established in this paper. Lectotypes are designated for E. minutus Kerremans, 1900, E. borneensis Obenberger, 1924, E. strandiellus Obenberger, 1932 and E. gracilipes Obenberger, 1940. New synonymy is established: E. ornatipennis Fisher, 1926 = E. gracilipes Obenberger, 1940, syn. n., and E. sumatrensis Fisher, 1926 = E. strandiellus Obenberger, 1932, syn. n. Endelus bakerianus Obenberger, 1924, st. rest. is restored. A key to the species of the group is provided