The Plural Society and Multiculturalism in Malaysia and Singapore

Abstract

In 1963, Singapore and the states of former British Borneo, Sabah and Sarawak, joined the Federation of Malaya, already independent since 1957, to form the Federation of Malaysia. Less than two years later in 1965, Singapore was ejected from the Federation after its ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) openly challenged the political hegemony of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), which led a coalition with the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) and other smaller parties. The coalition, which rules today as the Barisan Nasional (BN), reflects the multiracial bargain of according Chinese and Indians equal citizenship rights in exchange for the recognition of the special rights of the indigenous bumiputera (Malay: sons of the soil) races, which included the Malays. The PAP challenged this multiracialism with its own variant that promoted non-preferential treatment and full equality. Political tensions escalated during the 1964 general election and spilled over into deadly street riots between Chinese and Malays in Singapore that year. Even with Singapore out of the Federation, Malaysian opposition parties adopted the PAP’s line against the ruling UMNO-led coalition. Once more, the tense 1969 general election blew up into deadly street riots between Chinese and Malays, this time in Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur.