Malaysia's melting pot on the
boil By Baradan Kuppusamy
KUALA LUMPUR - Asian melting pot Malaysia
is gearing up to celebrate 50 years of
independence from British rule, [1] but the
racially diverse country still boils from the
colonial power's ethnic-based divide-and-rule
legacy.
Mounting social antagonism fueled
by race-based politics, redundant policies that
purposefully divide and discriminate, and
affirmative-action programs that economically
favor indigenous Malays over Chinese and Indians
are all sources of deep-seated
resentment and division that
seem set to get worse before they get better.
Half a century into nationhood, the ideal
of a "Bangsa Malaysia" - a fabled blended
Malaysian race that was to have climbed out of and
transcended the melting pot - is still nowhere in
sight. Instead, there is a growing clash between
resurgent Islam led by Malays and the secular
constitution favored by the minority ethnic
Chinese and Indians.
Prime Minister
Abdullah Badawi admitted recently that the major
races that make up this unique country of 26
million are drifting further apart because of
racial and religious divisions and built-in
discrimination. "The situation is worrisome,"
Abdullah told Malaysians during a televised
address last December, appealing for racial
understanding, tolerance and national unity.
Foreign visitors who view on the surface a
seeming peaceful and stable society are often
unaware of the rampant racism and discrimination
that pervade nearly every aspect of Malaysian
society. The country's first ever independent
survey of race relations, conducted last year,
confirmed that below the facade of unity and
peace, racism, discrimination and religious
bigotry run deep.
In part, that's because
they are institutionalized through the political
system. For instance, all political parties are
race-based and champion the cause of their
particular race over broad national concerns. And
playing the "race card" has historically proved a
sure and tried method for political aspirants to
advance their careers.
Fifty years on, the
education system is still heavily segregated, with
nearly 90% of Chinese students studying in
Chinese-language schools and as large a proportion
of Malays preferring national or Islamic schools
where the Malay language and Islam are emphasized.
Still, few places in Asia are home to so
many different races and cultures. Besides the
majority Malays, other racial groups include
Chinese, Indians, Arabs, Europeans, Eurasians and
dozens of other ethnic and aboriginal groups. A
potpourri of religions co-exists from the majority
Muslims to Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Taoists,
Sikhs and numerous native belief systems.
"We co-exist, even live together, but we
live separately in our own worlds," said
opposition lawmaker Kula Segaran, a member of the
minority Indian community that makes up about 8%
of the population and is arguably the most
disadvantaged economically.
"We celebrate
50 years of independence as a nation but the
people are further apart than ever," said Segaran.
"The outward peace and stability [are] not built
on justice or meritocracy, but made possible by
fear and other drastic measures.
"An
expanding economy with tremendous wealth creation
has hid the warts ... as the economy slows, the
warts are surfacing."
Malay Muslims,
representing about 60% of the population, were
arguably the most backward economically when
independence was achieved in 1957 but, through
various "Malays first" economic policies, have
since advanced on many fronts and today form a
sizable middle class.
Despite the
advances, Malay wealth is still concentrated in
the hands of a politically well-connected elite,
while in poor rural areas Malays still represent
the largest ethnic group. The Chinese, who first
arrived as laborers to work the tin mines, now
form 25% of the population and are economically
the most vibrant - controlling some 60% of the
economy.
At the core of the racial divide
is the New Economic Policy (NEP), which was
originally designed to eradicate poverty and more
evenly distribute economic opportunities among
different races. However, in its implementation,
Malays benefited over other races - including
through preferential employment, education,
scholarships, business, access to cheaper housing,
and assisted savings. Originally designed to last
for 20 years, the basic policies of the NEP have
continued for nearly twice that long under
different names, sparking envy and resentment
between Malays and non-Malays.
Many
non-Malays came to accept the discrimination as
the price they had to pay for peace and social
stability. But as the economy shrinks, wealth
contracts and a new generation of Malaysians come
into their own, many are starting to ask hard new
questions about the institutionalized
discrimination.
"I was born here. I am a
citizen. Why should I be treated as second- or
third-class?" said law student Amarjeet Singh, an
ethnic Indian. "We simple can't continue with
these unfair policies."
Even some sections
of the Malay-dominated political leadership,
including former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad,
have said that unfair advantages given to Malays
have made them uncompetitive. He called the aid
"crutches" in a major speech a year before he
retired in 2003, calling for the
affirmative-action policies to be reviewed.
Abdullah also believes the policy needs
reform, but many Malays, including those who make
up his political support group, have long enjoyed
these privileges and have developed a deep sense
of entitlement. As such, the political will to
make fundamental changes is missing, even as
Abdullah's government has taken certain steps to
close the racial divide.
One experiment in
racial integration is the Vision Schools program,
where students from all races share sports fields,
assembly halls and canteens, but attend segregated
classes conducted in their own languages. Another
new initiative is a compulsory national-service
program for 18-year-olds that requires racial
mixing that was started in 2004. Students are
chosen at random and taken to camps for three
months to learn teamwork and gain exposure to one
another's cultures.
Still, several social
experts say racism is too deeply entrenched in
official policies and the socio-political system
for any half-hearted measures to make a
transformative impact. Opposition politician Anwar
Ibrahim is campaigning on a platform that would
offer affirmative-action programs for only needy
Malaysians - irrespective of their racial
background - and says he wants to end race-based
politics. However, it's altogether unclear whether
that vision will win over majority Malay voters.
Note 1. Malaya gained
independence from the United Kingdom on August 31,
1957. The Malaysian federation consisting of
Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore was formed in
1963. Singapore pulled out of the federation as an
independent republic in 1965.
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