Citizenship Education: Challenges and Possibilities in Malaysia

Abstract

This article explores Citizenship Education in Malaysia as a cultural discourse in Malaysia. The conception of citizenship is problematic because it is a product of social fragmentation that carries legal and sociological meanings. Citizenship in this article refers to the learning and teaching as an educational process to improve or achieve the aims inherent to the legal meaning. The objective of this article is to pull together citizenship and education as central themes, not legal but the sociological aspects, with ‘nation-of-intent’ as a conceptual framework. Nevertheless, the present effort of citizenship education in Malaysia is based on a particular form of ‘nation-of-intent’ (Bangsa Malaysia). As nation-building in Malaysia is a state without a nation, the present effort does not include ideas to the nation when promoting citizenship education- the notion of ‘equality in diversity’ and not only ‘unity in diversity’. The concept of citizenship and citizenship education in Malaysia is prompting only one form of ‘nation-of intent’ available in the country, whereas there are other nations as well, apparently. An implication of it is that the concept of citizenship and thus, nation-building in Malaysia is still fraught with confusion. The presence of plurality of ‘nation-of-intent’ in contemporary Malaysia demonstrates the fact that dissenting voices are present and heard, within and without government. Hence, in the context of challenges and possibilities, there is a need to clarify and explore the meaning of citizenship in diverse and democracy in a nation-state, the multiple views of citizenship and the dimensions of citizenship education in Malaysia.