The Challenge In Uniting As A Malaysian Race

We cannot simply idealize a Malaysia for Malaysians and refuse to confront what it takes to become a Malaysian race. Sacrifices will have to be made. Compromises will have to be reached. The question is, is every one of us ready to shed our different cultural identities to become a singular Malaysian race? And will this work?

Mohd Ikhram Merican

Many of us tout about a Malaysia where everyone is equal, where all Malaysians are, well, Malaysians. I look forward to that day but have come to realize that before embarking on this noble goal, we need to be clear on what it means to be Malaysian. It is definitely not as simple as abolishing the NEP or redefining it as the NEM. It is definitely not as simple as replacing Ketuanan Melayu (Malay Supremacy) with Ketuanan Rakyat (People Power).

Difficult questions have to be asked and tough issues will have to be ironed out. A (Malay) friend of mine recently commented that you can abolish the special status of the Bumiputeras but then it is only fair that we nationalize all the races. He believes that this should mean no more Chinese or Indian names. Only national schools should be allowed. Everyone should speak Malay as their first language and there should be no public holidays for ethnic celebrations like Thaipusam, and Wesak Day.

While my friend’s opinion is extreme and has many holes, he makes a valid point. We cannot simply idealize a Malaysia for Malaysians and refuse to confront what it takes to become a Malaysian race. Sacrifices will have to be made. Compromises will have to be reached. The question is, is every one of us ready to shed our different cultural identities to become a singular Malaysian race? And will this work?

If Indonesia is to be used as a yardstick, homogenizing different races does not necessarily bear better results. The distinction between the Chinese and ethnic Indonesians is still stark despite the absence of institutionalized race based policies. The Indonesian riots of 1998 proved this.

Australia has insisted that immigrants learn to assimilate. Many Australians find it difficult to accept immigrants who don’t want to become “Australian” in the full sense. This has resulted in a majority of immigrants adopting the English language and Australian way of life. However, sporadic racial incidents do occur and tensions exist.

The Chinese in Thailand are well integrated and see themselves as Thais not Chinese. Until fairly recent times, Thailand restricted the use of Chinese names and disallowed the teaching of Chinese languages. While it has worked very well in integrating the Chinese, forced assimilation has enraged the Malay Muslims in the South which has led to long and ugly conflict.

What the situation in Thailand, Indonesia, and Australia allude to is that any attempt to nationalize different races should be done comprehensively with strong political will. Half-baked attempts that lack mutual consensus and pristine clarity will not be effective. A willingness by all races to give up a part of their identity to fit into a national mold may be a prerequisite.

 

Are we Malaysians ready to do that?

Wholesale amnesia of our different cultural identities is certainly not required. A lot of Chinese culture and tradition have been integrated into the Thai national culture. In the Malaysian context however, there is a diversity of culture AND religion. This makes it doubly difficult to reach a consensus on nationalization. And that is why a “Malaysia for Malaysians” or “1 Malaysia” will be difficult to achieve.

Simply removing the need to fill out your race in any application, and removing institutionalized racial preference for the Bumiputras is not enough. It has to be broad, sweeping change. It is no secret that there is a tendency for the Chinese to favor the Chinese and the Indians to do likewise in their regular dealings. Racial biases are normal and this is not unique to Malaysia. But this is also why broad, sweeping change is required if we are to successfully become a nation with one purpose.

While pursuing a more equitable Malaysia, it may be dangerous to seek the removal of the NEP. At least for now. Economic equality is a necessary ingredient for people to live harmoniously regardless of race. The Indians in Fiji and parts of Africa learned this the hard way. The Indonesian Chinese have seen this. The Thai government is reeling from the effects of economic inequality in the South. What we require is an efficient form of government, free from corruption that can ensure that the spirit of the NEP is upheld.

In any society it is dangerous for one race as a whole to be economically worse off than the rest of the nation. The problem is exacerbated when it is the predominant race. This is something that we have to accept and agree to fix.

In this respect, UMNO has bitterly failed the Malays and by extension all Malaysians. It has failed to alleviate the Malays economically. Instead of pursuing a world-class education system, the government keeps lowering the bar. Instead of promoting high standards and meritocracy, the government has built a system of mediocrity with nepotism and cronyism as its pillars. The average Malay is crippled by damning solutions which do not uplift. These solutions are paralyzing at best.

At the end of the day, if we are to see a more balanced representation of all races in government, the military, police, and other civil service, we may need to blur racial divides. If we are to pursue a Malaysia for all Malaysians in its truest sense, we will have to fix what is broken and attempt to gel cohesively. This will require compassion, empathy, cooperation, and an absence of strong ethnocentrism. It requires that we show genuine concern for each other and re-frame our thinking. We have to trust each other and in some instances throw caution to the wind. It may seem brash but relationships thrive when the parties involved wholeheartedly embrace each other.

We the people of Malaysia must think about what it means to be a Malaysian race and it should go beyond superficial ideas that temporarily appease without bringing real change. Our diversity can make us a culturally rich race but it can also cripple efforts to become a singular nation. What shall it be?