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KUALA LUMPUR -- Robust economic growth has long played a key role in smoothing over tensions between Malaysia's different ethnic groups. But with that growth sputtering, resentment over the government's preferential treatment of ethnic Malays may soon boil over.
The rift between Chinese Malaysians, who account for less than 30% of the country's population, and the ethnic Malay majority of 60% deepened sharply after the general election last May, which saw the government of Prime Minister Najib Razak declare victory. The slowing economy has deepened the underlying mistrust between these two groups, and the premier, looking to solidify his support base among Malay voters, appears to be turning a blind eye to the escalating tensions.
Together but separate
In the capital Kuala Lumpur stands a poignant sign of Malaysia's division. Two food courts, located barely 20 meters away from each other in the same shopping area, cater to different ethnic groups. In one, there are only food stalls run by Malays for their Malay customers. In another, all the shops are operated by ethnic Chinese serving food for Chinese-Malaysian diners.
Most Malay people are Muslims and cannot eat Chinese food, much of which uses pork, for religious reasons. And though Chinese-Malaysians do not have such religious dietary restrictions, many of them shun Malay-run shops because of rising resentment over the country's race-preferential economic policy of Bumiputra, which gives preferential treatment to Malaysia's ethnic majority....
Hmm, I see partition studies being conducted in some backroom. Which part of Malaysia is ethnically Chinese? Near Singapore?
Penang, Perak, KL, Selangor and Johor have the highest concentrations, although they differ a bit, e.g. Hokkien in Penang and a lot of Cantonese in Ipoh, Taiping.etc.
Well, both Malays and Chinese alike enjoy good Indian food lol...
To be sure, there are tensions, and I feel the government is partly to blame, but one feels Malaysia's multiculturalism has often made it fairly segregated. Inequalities often date back to the colonial era and such policies at the time. I think as long as there are these discriminatory policies resentment will simmer, so it doesn't seem like the government is doing much to foster a sense of equality and harmony in Malaysia. Maybe some of the Chinese should have a backbone and start demanding more equal treatment...
Which part of Malaysia is ethnically Chinese? Near Singapore?
About 25% of the population is ethnically Chinese, and they are pretty well distributed across the country (although mostly concentrated in bigger cities like KL, Georgetown, Ipoh, Johor, Malacca, etc). The capital city is actually pretty evenly split (45% each) Chinese and Malay with the remaining 10% being mostly ethnic Indians.
Malaysia, unfortunately, has a history of ethnic tensions. Beautiful country being held back by man-made problems :-( (Although I suppose that is true of many countries)
Malaysia's government has for too long discriminated against the Chinese community. What prosperity that country has the Chinese minority is what created it. Without the Chinese Malaysia would be as poor as Indonesia and yet the government of Malaysia discriminates against them terribly.
If I was a Chinese Malaysian I would do everything I could to escape from that country. It is nothing but pure bigotry coming out of the Malaysian government. How could you ever hope to find happiness when your very own country discriminates against you?
That article brings up the food stand issue. The new thing the Muslims are doing is forcing the Chinese to have their food stalls in completely different parts of town because their irrational and superstitious prejudice against pork. I will never understand those people!
AT 28:55 minute in the video linked below, former leader of Singapore mentions Malaysia's preference for Malays as one of the reasons Singapore decided to split and go on its own path. He even said that he and his group wanted to make Malaysia what Singapore is today, but that the Malays didn't want racial/ethnic equality. This interview was done in 2011.
You can go straight to the 28:55 minute section by clicking where that minute comes up on the bar at the bottom of the video, it will work after the commercial.
Unlike Malaysia, Singapore was able to overcome the racial tensions by putting limits on free speech (no race talks) and limit people's tendencies to gather along racial/ethnic lines.
^ If Malaysia became more like Singapore, would it eventually have a Chinese majority in its demographics? Whether that's a good or bad thing, we'll let Malaysians decide themselves.
Bumiputra is a Malay term that means "son of the land," and the policy has clear Malay-run food courts, for example, are administered by local municipalities and their monthly rents are held at 30 ringgit (about $8.96). By contrast, ethnic-Chinese food courts are privately run and their rents stand at around 800 ringgit, roughly 25 times higher. City-administered spaces openly favor Malay restaurant owners, and Chinese-Malaysians have grown increasingly frustrated about such an unfair treatment.
AT 28:55 minute in the video linked below, former leader of Singapore mentions Malaysia's preference for Malays as one of the reasons Singapore decided to split and go on its own path. He even said that he and his group wanted to make Malaysia what Singapore is today, but that the Malays didn't want racial/ethnic equality. This interview was done in 2011.
You can go straight to the 28:55 minute section by clicking where that minute comes up on the bar at the bottom of the video, it will work after the commercial.
Unlike Malaysia, Singapore was able to overcome the racial tensions by putting limits on free speech (no race talks) and limit people's tendencies to gather along racial/ethnic lines.
Reason why Singapore split up was political party who refuses to accept UMNO and they bring the Malay issue to the court to gain their freedom.
Quote:
Originally Posted by strad
About 25% of the population is ethnically Chinese, and they are pretty well distributed across the country (although mostly concentrated in bigger cities like KL, Georgetown, Ipoh, Johor, Malacca, etc). The capital city is actually pretty evenly split (45% each) Chinese and Malay with the remaining 10% being mostly ethnic Indians.
Malaysia, unfortunately, has a history of ethnic tensions. Beautiful country being held back by man-made problems :-( (Although I suppose that is true of many countries)
Eastern coast of the Malaya semenanjung are filled with Chinese but not areas like Kelantan or Terengganu, and Chinese also filled big cities in West Malaysia.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CravingMountains
Malaysia's government has for too long discriminated against the Chinese community. What prosperity that country has the Chinese minority is what created it. Without the Chinese Malaysia would be as poor as Indonesia and yet the government of Malaysia discriminates against them terribly.
If I was a Chinese Malaysian I would do everything I could to escape from that country. It is nothing but pure bigotry coming out of the Malaysian government. How could you ever hope to find happiness when your very own country discriminates against you?
That article brings up the food stand issue. The new thing the Muslims are doing is forcing the Chinese to have their food stalls in completely different parts of town because their irrational and superstitious prejudice against pork. I will never understand those people!
Hardly, Malaysia's popullation is 9 times lower than Indonesia and high amount of resources available, they would still be richer than Indonesia in wealth distribution term. But yes Chinese has been a big part of what to form Malaysia today as compared to Chinese in Philippines or Indonesia, and to an extend controlled 90% of the country's economy, but the mistreatment of the ethnic and Malay superiority issue seems to be putting it down even to the worst case and in this case the country's own lost!
Bumiputra includes some indigenous non-Malay groups, like the orang asli but also the Iban/Kalabit/Dayaks in Borneo. The Malay presence is less in Borneo.
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