Concepts of Unity and Integration

National unity generally refers to the uniting of various groups that have different social and cultural backgrounds, into one physical entity.

Ethnic Relations in Malaysia

The country is a multi-racial society that has successfully created peace and become a model of a calm and peaceful plural society for other countries.

The Theory of Racial Relations

The relation between races can be seen from the degree of ‘nearness’ beginning with relations that are apart to relations that are close.

The processes portray how minority groups become part of the main stream of a society.

The Theory of Racial Relations (Cont’d)

Segregation – Split the area of the residence, the school system, transportation, public facilities and others among the ethnic groups in a country by law (de jure) or not based on law (de facto).

Accomodation – The ethnic groups aware of each other’s norms and values but they continue to safeguard their own living culture. Each ethnic group sends a representative who represents his own group and sometimes they are mutually dependent on one another.

Acculturation – Known as cultural assimilation. Process of borrowing or accepting the cultural elements of the majority group, without changing the original cultural elements.

The Theory of Racial Relations (Cont’d)

Assimilation – Known as structural assimilation. The concept of assimilation is about the entry into a dominant society through friendship and close connection.

Amalgamation – Happens when culture or race mixes to form types of new culture and race. e.g.: inter-marriage between ethnic groups or races.

History of Ethnic RelationsBefore a society achieves the stage of integration,

it usually goes through five stages of change.- Stage of co-existence:The people in same area rarely communicate and

contact between them is limited to matters of necessity only.

-Stage of frequent external contact:Gradually frequent contact among the

communities occurred, but the contact was still unable to establish an understanding among them.

History of Ethnic Relations- Stage of compromise:Communities’ conscious of their common interest

and usually compromise takes place in the economic and political area.

- Stage of unity:The communities in the society compromise and

cooperate as much as possible, there is the tendency for them to live unite in many ways

- Stage of integration:Cooperation among races and they share the

same values create a sense of belonging and strong ties among them.

National Integration Problems

PrejudicePre-judgment action or attitude towards

other groups or races.CommunalismAttitude of favouring one’s own ethnic

community. Lead to social gaps between ethnic.

EthnocentrismBelief that one’s own culture is superior to

that of others.

Causes and Reinforcing Obstacles to IntegrationIgnorance of other ethnic groupsLimited or lack of understanding of the way of

life, the living conditions and the problems of other races.

Socialization only within ethnic groupsProcess of socialization of one ethnic group

cannot be exposing to other cultural elements.Communal PoliticsEach community still has their own racial

political party to voice the feelings and demands of their community.

Causes and Reinforcing Obstacles to Integration( Cont’d)Socio-economic differenceThe socio-economic differences among the

ethnic groups still obvious and led to jealousy and suspicious.

Cultural DifferencesDifferent cultures could spark off feelings of

prejudice, racism, and ethnocentricism.Segregation or Physical SeparationPhysical segregation results in an ethnic

group not knowing another ethnic group.

THE STRIFE TOWARDS UNITY AND NATIONAL INTEGRATION

Political EffortsActions through the legislative system – laws and

acts are made by Parliament to settle the problem related to unity.

The Constitution contains a number of clauses oriented towards racial equality, such as allocations that provide protection to certain communities.

Political Efforts (Cont’d)

The Seditions Act aimed at preventing an individual from raising sensitive issues in public.

The Internal Security Act (ISA) is aimed at protecting the country’s interests and internal security.

The Alliance, the Barisan Nasional unites all the parties into one bigger multi-racial organization.

Economic Efforts

Government took some measures and recorded in the five-year plan and government development policies to have economic equity among the races and to reduce the identification of race by economic activity.

Creating Malay entrepreneurs by giving loans, license and work contracts.

Economic Efforts (Cont’d)Government encourages the bumiputra

community to buy government shares and property like MARA.

Creating industrial zones to give employment opportunities to the bumiputra community.

Government encourages foreign investors to invest in the country.

Social and Cultural Efforts

The government encourages the sharing of values among the races.

In 1971, the government introduces the concept of National Culture to create a national identity for the plural society of Malaysia.

The Malay language was used as the official language and also the national system of education.

The government sets up agencies and organizations such as KEMAS to develop racial unity.

 

Methods for Socio-psychological Development

Methods for Socio-economic Development