Embedding Ethnic Politics in Malaysia: Economic Growth, its Ramifications and Political Popularity

The cornerstone of postcolonial Malaysian political economy is to embed ethnic politics. Following the 13 May 1969 race riots, economic growth, and in particular the material advancement of the Malays has become the prime policy objective of the government to consolidate the country's ethnic constitutional edifice and through it the Barisan Nasional's political survival. Foreign investment from the 1970s until the early 1990s helped Malaysia become a global producer of manufactures. Tin and rubber, which were synonymous with Malaysia, had become sunset industries by the 1980s. This article identifies the major contradictions and challenges arising from embedding ethnic politics and examines the approach of the Malaysian government in dealing with these problems. It concludes that as economic growth in itself has not helped consolidate ethnic politics, Malaysia's democratic foundations should be strengthened in the interest of its long-term political stability.