IJSTR >> Volume 8 - Issue 11, November 2019 Edition

[Full Text]

AUTHOR(S)

PROMOD SINGH

KEYWORDS

Diaspora, India, China, Malaysia, Bumiputera, Ethnicity, Islam.

ABSTRACT

Malaysia is a multi-ethnic country with three major ethnic communities: Malays (68.8%), Chinese (23%) and Indians (7%). A major chunk of the Indian population in Malaysia is poor, while most ethnic Chinese are prosperous. However, at the socio-economic level, both the Indian and Chinese community feel being discriminated and that they are not being accorded equal citizenship rights alongside the Malays, while there is revival of Islam in the country. This feeling of marginalisation and vulnerability in non-Malays has affected the process of national unity and integration. The author seeks to argue that it is very important for a developed country like Malaysia to accommodate the concerns of citizenship and discrimination of Indian and Chinese diaspora. Revising the policy of Bumiputera will go a long way in achieving this vision. Also, this will help foster better bilateral relation with India and with China.

REFERENCES

[1] Andaya, Watson Barabara and Andaya, Y. Leonard (1982), A History of Malaysia, London: The Macmillan Press Limited.
[2] Berns-McGown, Rima (2007), “Redefining "Diaspora": The Challenge of Connection and Inclusion”, International Journal, Vol. 63 (1): 3-20.
[3] Brown, David (1994), The State and Ethnic Politics in Southeast Asia, London: Routledge.
[4] *Federal Constitution of Malaysia (2010), Malaysia: The Commissioner of Law Revision, (Online Web) Accessed on 3 October 2019, URL: http://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/my/my063en.pdf
[5] Funston, John (ed.) (2001), Government and Politics in Southeast Asia, Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.
[6] Guan, Hock Lee (2005), “Affirmative Action in Malaysia”, Southeast Asian Affairs, 211- 228.
[7] Gullick, M. J. (1963), Malaya, London: Ernest Benn Limited.
[8] Harding, Andrew (2007), “The Rukunegara Amendments of 1971”, in Andrew Harding and H.P. Lee (eds.) Constitutional Landmarks in Malaysia: The First 50 Years, 1957- 2007, Kuala Lumpur: Malayan Law Journal.
[9] Kheng, Boon Cheah (2005), “Ethnicity in the Making of Malysia”, in Nation-Building: Five Southeast Asian Histories, Wang Gungwu (ed.) Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.
[10] Mohamad, bin Mahathir (1970), The Malay Dilemma, Singapore: Donald Moore.
[11] Panossian, Razmik (1998), “Between Ambivalence and Intrusion: Politics and Identity in Armenia-Diaspora Relations”, Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Studies, Vol. 7 (2): 149-196.
[12] Siang (2000), “Chinese or Malaysian Identity? Issues and Challenges”,CSCSD Public lecture at the ANU, 1 May 2000, (Online Web) Accessed on 10 September 2019, URL: http://chl-old.anu.edu.au/publications/csds/siang2000.pdf
[13] Tarling, Nicholas (1957), British Policy in the Malay Peninsula and Archipelago, 1824-1871, London: The Alden Press (Oxford) Limited.
[14] *World Bank Malaysia Economic Monitor (2014), (Online Web) Accessed on 25 September 2019, URL: https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=World+Bank:+Malaysia+Economic+Monitor+2014:&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
[15] Vasil, K. R. (1980), Ethnic Politics in Malaysia, New Delhi: Radiant Publisher.
[16] Vertovec, Steven (1997), “Three Meanings of "Diaspora," Exemplified among South Asian Religions”, Diaspora: A Journal of Transnational Studies, Volume 6 (3): 277-299.