Malaysia is a contrast study: a multi-ethnic and multi-religious federation which, after gaining independence, has attempted to use diversity as a foundation to find stability. Sometimes, it has been successful, but on other occasions, it has had problems.  Nowadays, as Malays and in the larger and more inclusive definition of the term, Bumiputera live in close quarters with Chinese, and with a recent influx of foreign Chinese expatriates, the country faces a critical challenge: can a common national identity be developed without destroying the plural identities that make modern Malaysia both strong and creative? It is consequential as the answer to politics, as the answer to providing economic equity, as the answer to providing social peace.

Malaysia is among the most ethnically diverse Asian societies, which include Malays (Bumiputera), Chinese, Indians, and other indigenous people. In 2020, the census estimates that the population will be approximately 34 millenniums with 69% Bumiputera, 23% Chinese, and 7% Indian. Regarding religion, 63.5 percent of Malaysians follow the Muslim faith, 18.7 percent Buddhism, 9.1 percent Christianity, and 6.1 percent Hinduism. With this plural composition, national identity serves as both a source of strength and a potential challenge.  

The modern argument of the national identity of Malaysia cannot be discussed without the racial riots of 13 May 1969 that set a new course for the policy of the country. The riots and related policy amendments have been documented in the National Archives and also in academic publications by the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. The riots revealed the presence of clear socio-economic inequalities and led to the........

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