Trading in bias: investigating Malaysia’s humanist linkages

Abstract

The country’s march toward a multi-ethnic nation building has been severely undermined by enduring structural divisions, which for the longest time have separated the Bumiputeras (i.e. native Muslim Malays) from the non-Bumiputeras (i.e. Chinese, Indians and non-Malay indigenous groups). The aggressive promotion of the Bumiputera identity as the basis of Malaysian nationalism has resulted in the shrinking of the country’s diversity space. The term ‘diversity space’ refers to the capacity of all ethnic groups to participate freely in Malaysia’s political and economic affairs. Despite Malaysia’s great ethnic diversity, its national security policies and strategies remain heavily biased in favour of the Malays. In fact, Article 153 of the Malaysian Constitution states that: