Nation-Building in Malaysia: A Complex Process
On August 31, 1957, Malaysia achieved its independence and ceased to function as a British colonial entity. At that time, the major political parties which had developed in the country and which were largely based upon ethnicity, found themselves confronted with the necessity of achieving compromise and unity so that they could begin the process of building an independent nation (Shuib, Saludin, Von Feigenblatt, Keling, & Ajis 2010, p. 1). Ethnicity as well as religion emerged as major determinants of challenges involved in nation building. Other problems in the country at the time of Malaysia's independence included the establishment under colonial rule of elites embedded within the governmental infrastructure, the dominance of the Malay majority, and the presence of a monarchy with nine independent yet integrated sultanates that do not participate in politics but nevertheless have a role to play in the country's cultural life (Shuib, et al 2010, p. 2).
The various factors accounting for both the successes and failures of the nation building exercise in Malaysia are worth exploring as an example of the ways in which the legacy of colonialism plays out. As noted by Kikue Hamayotsu (2002, p. 354), one of the most significant impediments to successful nation building in Malaysia is the effort of the Islamic opposition party, Parti Islam Se-Malaysia or the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) has continued to insist on the conception of Malaysia as an Islamic state despite the fact that opposition parties and the non-Muslim minorities of ethnic Chinese and Indians want to ensure that Malaysia remains a secular nation.
While "the post-colonial national leadership instituted Islam as the official religion on gaining independence..., Malaysia has witnessed a slowly yet steadily growing national consciousness" which calls for inclusionary policies with respect to other religiou...