Future Malaysia Forum
Academy of Sciences Malaysia
Society & Culture:
Are we at the crossroad?
Prof Dr Mansor Mohd Noor
Principal Research Fellow
Institute of Ethnic Studies (KITA)
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
02 June 2015
02 June 2015
Futures Malaysian Forum KITA-ASM
PUBLIC SPACE,
NSTP, KUALA LUMPUR
1
Research Data
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Appendix
Research Data
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A1. Self Interest of the Material Kind Relative To Ethnic
Preference 1990-2013 (Percent)
Melayu
Cina
120
120
100
100
80
Sewa Rumah
Jaga Anak
60
Rakan Kongsi
Kedai Runcit
40
Peratus (%)
Peratus (%)
80
Sewa Rumah
Jaga Anak
60
Rakan Kongsi
Kedai Runcit
40
Pinjaman Bank
20
Sewa Rumah Kedai
0
Pinjaman Bank
20
0
Tahun
02 June 2015
Sewa Rumah Kedai
Tahun
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A2. Self Interest of the Status Kind Relative To Ethnic
Preference 1990-2013 (Percent)
Melayu
100
100
90
90
80
80
Lawatan ke Zoo
60
50
Anak Angkat
40
30
Jemputan
Perkahwinan
20
Jemputan Hari Jadi
Peratus (%)
70
70
Peratus (%)
Cina
50
Anak Angkat
40
Jemputan
Perkahwinan
30
20
10
10
0
0
Jemputan Hari Jadi
Tahun
Tahun
02 June 2015
Lawatan ke Zoo
60
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A3. Self Interest of the Personal Obligation Relative To Ethnic
Preference 1990-2013 (Percent)
Melayu
Cina
120
120
100
Sokong Ketua
80
Ucapan Hari Ibu
60
Kunci Rumah
40
20
0
Ucapan Hari Ibu
60
Kunci Rumah
Kawan Bermain
40
Kawan Bermain
Membantu Rakan
Sekerja
20
Membantu Rakan
Sekerja
Ucap Takziah
0
Tahun
02 June 2015
Sokong Ketua
80
Peratus (%)
Peratus (%)
100
Ucap Takziah
Tahun
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Social Relations Index 1990-2013
3.00
Nisbah Ganjil
2.00
2.13
1.77
1.54 1.61
1.40
1.40
1.37
1.29
1.26
1.21 1.15
1.16 1.04 1.01
1.13
1.08
1.06
1.05
1.04
1.00
1.01
0.99
0.98
0.98
0.96
0.93
0.91 0.87 0.87
0.91 0.96 0.74 0.84 0.99 0.85
0.90
0.89
0.83
0.78 0.78
0.74
0.71
0.70
0.70
0.68
0.64 0.49 0.55
0.60
0.58
0.51 0.45 0.43
0.00
0.00
19901992199319951996199819992000200120052006200720092010201120122013
-0.81-0.72-0.73-0.70-0.81
-0.94
-1.00
-0.99
-1.00
-1.10-0.93
-1.17
-1.37
-2.00
-3.00
-3.31
-4.00
Tahun
Material
02 June 2015
Status
Tuntutan Sosial
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Indeks
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Index of Social Tension
Category
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Violence/Rioting
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Demonstration/Protest
398
456
482
804
869
750
Attack/Fighting
1522
1104
1046
878
949
844
Issues (Media)
493
234
371
345
375
627
Total
2413
1794
2027
2027
2193
2221
IST
27.9
21.6
22.5
18.2
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19.9
18.9
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Global Peace Index
2007
2008
2011
2010
2009
World
Ranking
37. Malaysia
World
Ranking
37. Malaysia
Asia Ranking
9. Malaysia
Asia Ranking Asia Ranking Asia Ranking Asia Ranking
4. Malaysia
8. Malaysia
4. Malaysia
6. Malaysia
World
Ranking
22. Malaysia
2013
2012
02 June 2015
World
Ranking
26. Malaysia
World
Ranking
19. Malaysia
2014
World
Ranking
20. Malaysia
World
Ranking
29. Malaysia
World
Ranking
33. Malaysia
Asia Ranking
4. Malaysia
Asia Ranking
6. Malaysia
Asia Ranking
6. Malaysia
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Social Conflict or Social Cohesion?
Comparative Analysis of Malaysia & Sri Lanka, 1940-2015
Malaysia
2001
2012
1969
1948 - 1960
1940
1940-1950
1951-1960
1961-1970
1971-1980
1981-1990
1991-2010
Sri Lanka
Violence conflicts do take place in Malaysia & Sri Lanka since the 1940s. However, historical data
indicate that social cohesion is more dominant in Malaysia relative to Sri Lanka.
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Portraits of the Nation
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Portrait of the Nation
-VE
• The social fabric and multi-ethnic society of Malaysia is
fragile.
• Social problems and ethnic tensions colour the nation
• Social and political instabilities could hamper progress
+VE
• Obama & Clinton; Malaysia is a moderate and progressive
Islam nation
• M Vatikiotis (WSJ): Malaysia is a moderate peacemaker
• Malaysia models for development and harmonious ethnic
relations among developing and post colonial societies
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Diversity Traits of Malaysia
1. Positive Trait
– Diversity and differences are celebrated
– Government invests in cultural diversity
– A global tourism product- a source of national income
2. Negative Traits
– Diversity and differences create social misunderstanding
– Political conflicts instil a sense of ‘stable tension’
– Government gives a small badget to overcome the problems
faced
3. Faces of Hope
– Various unity projects are implemented
– Bangsa Melayu, Bangsa Malaysia to 1Malaysia
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Managing Solidarity & Scarcity
the Thrust of National Development &
Nation-Building
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Ultimate Objective of National Unity
• Since the ethnic riots of May 13, 1969, national
unity is deliberately seeked among the various
interests group in the society.
• Implementation of 1. Political sharing-BN, 2.
Economic growth with redistribution-NEP
• After 45 years….
• Outcome-Poverty reduced from 50% to 2%; Quality
of life increased;
• Malaysia recognised by developed and
underdeveloped nation as a SHOW CASE STATE of
Development success story
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Searching for National Unity….
• A long timeline of peace rather than violence
• It is observed that after 45 years of NEP, the
process toward national unity attained is
social cohesion.
• Social cohesion is a dynamic process which
could be at its low ebb of social alignment
(penyatupaduan), social alliances (pautan
sosial) dan a higher attainment of a united in
diversity (bersatu dalam kepelbagaian)
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Detailing Social Cohesion
• social alignment (penyatupaduan); +ve plus
prevalence of ‘moments of disunity’
• social alliances (pautan sosial); + ve plus
prevalence of ‘moments of unity’
• united in diversity (bersatu dalam
kepelbagaian); convergence and sharing of
norms
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Development, Technology and Migration
Change the Malaysian Society
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Development, Change & Social
Transformation
1970s Poverty & social disparity
1980-90s Development, industry & Migration -
2000sCosmopolitan & Middle Classes
2010s Toward
A Developed
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From a plural &
multiethnic society to
a civilisation
indigenous canopy in
a diverse society
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Social Transformation 2000
i.
ii.
iii.
An agricultural society to an industrial nation
Poverty replaced by a middle class society
Traditional life into a cosmopolitant society
Impact 1
Malaysia evolved out of a plural society into a diverse society
Impact 2
From a compartmentalisationbased on ethnic to social differentiationDevelopment, social change, societal transformation, social differentiation
along ethnic, rural-urban, generation and classes
Impact 3
Ethnic influences prevail but it is secondary and not primordial (world
capitalist system-profit-system-globalisation-ICT-global village)
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Social Changes in the Nation
•
•
•
•
•
•
Every ten years, a decade, Malaysia undergoes change:
1. Ethnicity
2. Cultural
3. Identity
4. Class
5. Social differentiation
• Creating new life styles, political cultures & a new
wave of ethnic relations
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Variants of Malaysian Ethnic Identity
•
•
•
•
•
Commercial ethos
Value-based culture
Ethno-based culture
Ethno-religious
Socio-liberal
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Fragmentation of a Socially Differentiated
Malaysian Society
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
Ethno-groupies (70%)
Universalistic norms (60%)
The ethnic manipulators (30%)
The nation of intent (20%)
The ethno-religious extrimists (5%)
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Political Issue, Value and Culture
• Political Culture
(Liberty, Freedom, Free Speech, Right to Assembly, Access to
Information, Democracy, Human Rights, Right to Participation)
• Political Value
Accountability, Transparency, Integrity, Good Governance,
Social Justice,
• Political Issue
Corruption, Power Abuse, Institutional Discrimination,
Inclusive govertmentn machinery and Development,
Federalism
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The Dynamism of Malaysian Social History
•
•
•
•
Malay Kingdom-The Malay archipelago
Malay Sultanate-Pre colonial
Malay Nation-The rejection of Malayan Union
The Malay Hegemony in a plural society-The Federal
Constitution of 1948 & 1957
• -The Indigenous Hegemony-The Federal
Constitution of Malaysia 1963
• The Indigenous Civilisational Canopy in a Diverse
Society-Post 2000
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The Nation: The Keys
National building to manage solidarity: National
ethos
The Indigenous Civilisational Canopy in a Diverse
Society
Progress by managing scarcity in a post colonial
society by focussing on political and economic
relations
Good governance as well as a just and inclusive
development
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Formula in Managing Diversity
• The dynamism of the process of national
unity and social cohesion is a social fact as
Malaysians accept and tolerate their
differences and practice a culture of
bargaining and negotiation in redistributing
societal resources and defining the nation
• Bargaining and negotiation reduce
differences through accommodation and
compromises producing a collective
consensus
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Way Forward
• Malaysia is an ethno-nation that embedded a
civic nation as it develops from an
agricultural into an industrial nation
• Plural society of past has becomes history
• Malaysia enter a new phase of an indigenous
civilisational canopy in a diverse society
• National building on the basis of integration
has transformed Malaysia into a global
village
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Thank You.
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