The Study Of Malaysia Government's Policy Toward Ethnic Chinese Community

The study of the current dissertation is focused on the government of "nation-state," the sources and the solutions of its conflicts with the ethnic minority. The Malaysian government and its Chinese community are chosen as the case study in the dissertation for their significance in both the current theory and its practice. This paper will focus on the education and economic policies toward the Chinese community post independent Malaysia after 1957. The study will examine the transformation and progression of these policies and analyze the indications of these changes.In the first part of the dissertation, the source and developmental history of "nation-state" as a form of political approach will be reviewed; along with discussions on the existing theories regarding the relationship between the "nation-state" and its ethnic minority. Through analysis, this dissertation will suggest the conflicts rise between the "nation-state" government and its ethnic minority in four areas: 1. Conflicts of different cultures between the ethnic minority community and the homogeneous citizens of the "nation-state". 2. Conflicts between the distinctive structures of the ethnic minority community and the concentration of power of the "nation-state" government. 3. Conflicts between the rights of the ethnic minority community and the administrative legitimacy of the "nation-state" government. 4. Conflicts between the lifestyle of the ethnic minority community and the "nation-state" government's modern bureaucratic configuration.Following the abstract theories, the dissertation will then review the distinctive characteristics of the Malaysian governmental structures and configuration, history, and the status of its Chinese community. Subsequent to the reviewing the history of Malaysian government and the initial period after its independence, this dissertation believe, Malaysia had inherited the British contemporary bureaucratic configuration and the process of governmental concentration of power had completed. The contradictions between the Chinese community and the Malaysian government are primarily focused on: the conflicts between unanimity of natures among the Malaysian citizens homogeneous and the divergence of these natures among the Chinese community, and the Malaysian government being the ultimate legitimacy legal body and the rights and interests of the Chinese community. Since the independence of 1957, the conflicts between the two parties had been around these two major issues.For the duration of 1957 to 1970, the Malaysian government took a negotiating position to secure the standing as the ultimate legitimate legal body. The Malaysian government allowed the Chinese community to maintain part of its distinctive cultural characteristic and absolute economical freedom, in exchange for the acknowledgement of Malaysian's superior position in the field of politics and culture. The implement of such principle resulted in a mere temporary legitimacy. The absolute economical freedom granted to the Chinese community created a large economical gap with the Malays, and the political superiority enjoyed by the Malays also created disgruntlement in the Chinese community. The legitimacy of the Malaysian government faded and the lost of such standing was illustrated in the 1969 election when the political party in power suffered a sever defeat.Subsequent to the lost of election, the "May 13" ethnic riot took place. Thus starting from 1970, the government renounced the negotiation approach and employed the "New Economical Policy" stratagem, where the mainstream Malays will enjoy full superiority over the Chinese community and the Chinese community will be suppressed economically and assimilated culturally. However, through the application of this policy the government discovered that though it had gained supports from the Malays, the Chinese community resisted and rebelled continuously in the field of economy and education, creating numerous predicaments for the government. The government recognized the persisting of the policy would only diminish its legitimacy more rapidly. Therefore, from 1980s, the intermediate government started to reduce the economical suppression toward the Chinese community.In 1990, the "New Economical Policy" ended. After twenty years of governmental assistance, a group of middle class Malays emerged and the Malaysian government can no longer obtain the support of the Malays through the same policy. Under the circumstances, the government was forced to reassess the legitimacy both Malays and the Chinese community can provide. Hence, the government in the late 90s continued to lighten the repressive policy toward the Chinese community.Through systematic discussion and analysis of related theories and the history of Malaysian government's policies toward the Chinese community, this dissertation will propose that though fundamental conflicts existed between the "nation-state" government and its ethnic minority, under the appropriate governmental structures and policies these conflicts can be reduced considerably. Using Malaysia as case study, its "Semi-Democracy" scheme comprises the disposition of authoritarianism and flexibility of democracy. Under such system, the government can subdue the conflicts due to ethnic contradictions, avoid the surfacing of such contradictions, and control the disagreements between the ethnicity. At the same time, responding to the social changes and evolution, the government can also adjust its policies accordingly yet appropriately. Malaysian's "Semi-Democracy" scheme can serve as a practical yet effective example for many other countries governing their ethnic minority communities.