Racial Equality In Malaysia Essay

During the British colonization, there was huge influx of Indian and Chinese workers from South India and southern China respectively. This influx was the reason that Malaysia is now a multiracial nation comprised of the three major races: the Bumiputera at 62.3% of the population, Chinese at 22% and Indian at 6.7% (Fast Facts about Malaysia, 2014). The term “Bumiputera” is used particularly in Malaysia and refers to the Malay race and other indigenous people. As a multiracial nation, racial harmony is always a concern and ensuring racial equality is one the keys to maintaining racial harmony. However, questions about Malaysia’s racial harmony arise as there were several racial disputes after independence, such as the 13 May incident (Soong,

The ruling party has done little in helping Malaysian as a whole and is not practising the slogan “One Malaysia” to its best. There is an urgent need for a revolution in terms of governing policies and also for a shift in focus on deciding which group to citizens is really in need of helps from the government. Affirmative policies might work in closing up economic gaps between the generally not-so-well-off Bumiputeras and the Chinese or Indians, but they are definitely not going to appease the ethnic minority who felt left out because to these people, such policies make them feel like having a second class status even though they are holding the same Malaysian Identification Card as the Bumiputeras. In my opinion, the existing race-based policies and governing strategies have to change and the leaders of the nation have to start caring every Malaysians, just like how they care about the Bumiputeras, in order to improve the racial harmony in Malaysia, or else, the current situation on racial inequality and discrimination will remain stagnant or worse, deteriorate in the future. To excel, Malaysia needs to have her people united as the phrase “unity is strength” is never