Research On Malaysian Ethnic Policy Evaluation

Malaysia is an important country in Southeast Asia and ASEAN known as “Kaleidoscopic Asia”.As a multi-ethnic group country,the Ethnic Policy in Malaysia consists of a series of measures to support Malays,it is very similar to the Affirmative Action.The Ethnic Policy was originated from the Affirmative Action in US.The Affirmative Action is for vulnerable groups(black people)who suffer from economic backwardness,it gives black people various helping and preferential policies to promote the equitable development and fair competition between black and white groups.Based on the evolution course of the Affirmative Action in US,we can abstract its elements: at implementation premise level,it aims at the groups who were discriminated in the history;at implementation object level,it is directed to the races or groups who are in disadvantaged status in reality;at implementation purpose level,it is devoted to realize fair competition,achieve legal equality(substantive equality);at implementation method level,it usually takes preferential measures in the field of economic development,employment,education,but opposes digital quota;at implementation period level,it is a phased transitive measure rather than eternal.The population of Malaysia is about 30 million,Malay and Chinese are the majority ethnic group.Before 1511,Malays were in race formation stage,they were unfriendly to the natives(Orange Asbury people).During 1511-1957,Malaysia was in colonial period,the Ethnic Policy was presented as Command Differentiation.The British colonial period took the strategy of divide and rule,the Japanese colonial period took “approach-Malays-alienate-Chinese” strategy,while British colonial regression stage changed the strategy to pluralistic development.In 1957,Malaysia was independent,during its independence period,it took laissez-faire policy,encouraged free development of all ethnic groups.However,due to the suspicion between the Malays and Chinese,the hatred of Malays to Chinese economic status,the dissatisfaction of Chinese to Malays’ political status,the defeat of Alliance Party in political game and so on,the “5.13” Event broke,declaring the bankruptcy of Laissez-faire Policy.During 1970-1990,Malaysia took new economic policies,carrying out the Priority Policy for Malays,Promoting their economic development.Since 1990 s,the government has taken the equal and liberal policies,being supported widely by citizens.The historical evolution of the Ethnic Policy in Malaysia manifests the polity is a series of preferential treatments for Malays who are under a disadvantaged economic status,regrading employment,education,social security etc,thus very similar to Affirmative Action.First,they are implementation-object related,both directed to those races or groups who are under disadvantaged status.Second,they are implementation-method related,both took preferential treatments in employment,education,social security etc.Last,they are implementation-purpose related,both for helping those vulnerable groups recover to the equal start point.On the other hand,the differences do exist between the Ethnic Policy and Affirmative Action: first,the reasons are different,the former mainly considers the disadvantaged status of Malays,while the later was originated from the discrimination of vulnerable groups in the history.Second,the attitudes toward the quota are different: in Affirmative Action,based on the emergence of “Reverse Discrimination”,the quota is usually taken as sensitive measure,while in Ethnic Policy,the quota has never been forbidden.Last,the bases of the laws are different: the US government takes the equality rights,while Malaysia takes the privileges for Malays.According to the comparisons,we know the Ethnic Policy in Malaysia is not the Affirmative Action,it is a preferential policy that aims at declining the conflicts between groups.The reasonability of the Ethnic Policy is based on: first,substituting the political parties for the conflicts between groups;second,taking the mind policy for Chinese;third,persisting in overall consideration,being flexible.The irrationality of the Ethnic Policy is embodied by: first,the national basic law makes the groups unequal,violating the requirement of equal development;second,the abuse of the quota system;third,over-emphasizing the status of certain group and avoiding the social problems.Looking forward to the future,the Ethnic Policy in Malaysia needs to weaken the ethnic awareness and enhance the identity of Malaysia citizens,draw all groups together by national development,change the regulations that give Malays privileges,take all groups more liberal and acquire the supports from other parties by implementing more open policies.