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“A nation is a community of people who feel that they belong together in a double sense in that they share deeply significant elements of a common heritage and that they have a common future.” - Harvard Professor Rupert Emerson, From Empire to Nation.

We are gathered in the Bar Council Auditorium today to engage in a discussion on issues of paramount importance such as nation building, social integration and forging a young Malaysian identity. However, life outside this Auditorium is very different. The average young Malaysian does not wake up early in the morning with thoughts of forging a Malaysian identity or nation building dominating his mind. He is more concerned about beating the traffic jam, getting to work on time, surviving the office ordeal and having enough money to pay his monthly bills.

According to the recent National Youth Survey 2006 (Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research, National Youth Opinion Poll on Civic Engagement (2006)), 21% of young Malaysians aged between 18 and 32 felt that fuel and price hikes were the most important issues facing Malaysia right now, as opposed to 3% who responded that it was local politics and 2% the Ninth Malaysia Plan. 32 % of the respondents said that ‘completing their education’ was their biggest personal concern while 16 % responded ‘doing well in jobs and career’. Very few expressed concern for the wider society.

Another study, which is alarming, is the Cognitive and PsychoSocial Profile of Malaysian Adolescents (CoPs) study where a nationwide survey (The Star, Survey: Many Youngsters aren’t concerned about Social Integration (29 March 2007)).  of 4,400 Form Four students was conducted in rural areas, towns and cities across Malaysia including Sabah and Sarawak. The results of the study show that only 52% of the respondents said they had a friend of a different race. Only 12.8% felt that mixing with other races was an issue, demonstrating the fact that racial integration is not high on the priority list.

Thus, we still have a long way to go in instilling civic consciousness among young Malaysians. A useful starting point for discussion is identifying young Malaysian identity in the context of a globalized world and an entertainment saturated society.

Globalization and the entertainment industry

The forces of globalization and the entertainment industry have the tendency of homogenizing Malaysian youth culture. Young Malaysians, regardless of race, religion and geographical location, wear Levi jeans, eat at McDonald’s, watch American movies, support British football teams and listen to the latest music from MTV. Like it or not, Western influences and pop culture has had a far-reaching impact on our young generation. Andrew Fletcher, a 18th century Scottish political thinker, has this to say: “Give me the makings of the songs of the nation and I care not who writes its laws”. In the eyes of our youth, entertainment celebrities are more popular compared to politicians and law makers.

However, the forces of globalization and entertainment do not completely remove our Asian roots and identities. Our Malaysian identity is a unique blend between a rich Asian heritage and strong Western influence. While we strive to maintain Asian values such as respect for elders, tolerance, communal spirit and strong religious emphasis, we also reach out to the outside world and embrace the larger global culture.

Cultural Diversity

Malaysians embrace and celebrate the cultural diversities of the various races living in this country. We have a colourful kaleidoscope of languages, dialects, food, arts and way of life. Cultural diversity is not a threat but a unifying force of Malaysian society. It is the social glue that keeps us together.

Take a look at the mamak stalls around us. Malays, Chinese and Indians drink ‘teh tarik’ and eat ‘roti canai’ together while engaging in vigorous conversations about politics and current affairs, often in a mix of butchered English and Malay. The ‘mamak’ stall is a microcosm of Malaysian society. Regardless of skin colour, we all can share the same food, interests and political destinies. Our lives are enriched by the confluence of Malay, Chinese, Indian and other cultures in this land.

Having said this, and before I am accused of painting a rosy but inaccurate portrait of Malaysia, I hasten to add that race, language and religion are still sensitive issues in Malaysia. This is understandable because these issues involve basic factors of identity and affiliation. However, as young Malaysians, we need to grapple with these issues in an open and sensible manner, and strive to forge a common future for all of us.

‘Bangsa Malaysia’ - The ‘Rojak Pot Approach’

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, was quoted as saying that ‘Bangsa Malaysia’ is a general concept and a state of mind. He further said:

“I like to stress that it is more towards a state of the mind, meaning that we lose the prejudice, incompatibility among the races, and unwillingness to mix with other races. If we treat it as a state of mind, I think we can avoid the polemics. And if we try to define it, it will raise a lot of questions and debates on the matter.”

What then is ‘Bangsa Malaysia’?

Taking our Deputy Prime Minister’s cue, I will not try to define it. However, I think I will attempt to illustrate the concept.

In Malaysia, we do not subscribe to the ‘melting pot’ approach as in the US where all the various traditions and cultures are ‘melted’ and meshed together to form a new American identity. Ours is more of a ‘rojak pot approach’ or what some call the ‘salad bowl approach’. In a ‘rojak’ pot, you will find crunchy ‘keropok’, ‘tau foo’, ‘jambu air’, mango, papaya, ‘sengkuang’ and cucumber all mixed together with thick prawn paste sauce sprinkled with generous amounts of peanuts. The various ingredients in a ‘rojak’ pot are mixed together but do no lose their individual characteristics. However, by being mixed together, the sum total becomes a new and better entity.

This is what sociologists term as the ‘integration approach’ juxtaposed to the ‘assimilation approach’. With this approach, Malays, Chinese and Indians are integrated into a common society but the various races still preserve their distinctive cultural identities as an integral part of the Malaysian national mosaic.

So, has Malaysia achieve its objective of forming a Bangsa Malaysia? I think the status is still ‘work in progress’. Outgoing Gerakan President Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik was reported as saying:

“I regret that after 50 years of independence we could not instill a greater sense of nationalism among the people.”

I believe he is right. At present, our political landscape is still very much segmented along racial lines and this reinforces ethnic identities as opposed to a Malaysian identity. Our economic policies do not distribute equal assistance to all races. After 50 years of independence, race cannot and should not be used as a criterion for the extension of economic benefits. Meritocracy is still not in wide practice. The participation of non-Malays in civil service still leaves much to be desired. Core matters such as justice, freedom, democracy, economic opportunities and security are commodities which are essential to all of us and not the special privilege of any group. Thus, it is fair comment to say that it is still ‘work in progress’ in respect of our journey towards creating a ‘Bangsa Malaysia’.

Truth Telling

Moving forward, how can we achieve the aims of creating a ‘Bangsa Malaysia’? I believe it is fundamentally important for there to be openness, frankness and sincerity as we discuss inter-communal issues. The underpinning concept is that of truth-telling, where we are able to speak the truth to each other in an objective and rationale manner. Under the Badawi administration, there is definitely greater freedom of speech and discussion. This is a positive development as a mature, intelligent and knowledge-based younger generation would want a safe environment where honest views can be articulated within parameters. It is unfortunate that there is a ‘ban’ on the Article 11 roadshow. Before the imposition of the ban, Article 11 together with the Malacca Bar Committee held a seminar on the freedom of religion in Malacca. There was a huge turnout of about 600 people a respectable figure in a state where most people would rather spend their evenings watching television at home. This demonstrates that the common ‘rakyat’ is interested and vitally engaged in issues such as freedom of religion and other constitutional matters.

The Federal Constitution is our social contract, the Charter of the nation so to speak. It is the blueprint for our pluralistic society. There should be the freedom to engage in a discussion on issues of paramount constitutional importance. Unless we can speak truthfully to each other, we cannot create a united and authentic ‘Bangsa Malaysia’. What we can achieve is perhaps a superficial and external form of peaceful co-existence that can easily be undermined by prejudices, suspicions and underlying tensions. I say all this with one important caveat: freedom of speech must be exercised with great responsibility. Freedom of speech does not give us a right to hurt each other and to incite feelings of racial hatred and discord. It is to be used to tell the truth. But the truth must be under-girded with respect, or else the ‘truth’ will be repulsive to the listener. I am very confident that the young Malaysian generation is able to handle truth in a civilized and responsible manner.

Role of Young Malaysians

All of us share the Malaysian dream. We cannot change the past but the future is ours to make. As young Malaysians, we need to grow out from our narrow communal concerns, and share and work together on a broader national agenda. Instead of harping on issues of racial marginalization, we need to strive together to ensure that Malaysia is not marginalized in the midst of the competitive global race for economic development. Instead of arguing on distributing the economic pie, we need to help each other to enlarge the pie for our common good. A growing economy will have a positive impact on enhancing the stability of a pluralistic society like ours.

All of us have a common stake in this country. At the end of the day, it is the choices we make as young Malaysians that count.

On a micro level, we must learn to make friends with people outside our own racial community. Human relationships should never be based on skin colour. That which is more important than what we say or do is what we think of each other deep down in our consciousness. The main question is whether in the secret chamber of our hearts, we regard people of a different race as equals in worth and dignity.

We must have faith in a common future together. After all, we are all in the same ‘rojak pot’ called Malaysia. A million dreams and hopes are all meshed together in this big pot. Whether our dreams and hopes will turn into reality depends in a large part on whether we are willing to work together as a society. Together, we can build a better and more united Malaysia, and make this a beautiful place where we can all live, work, play and laugh together as equals on this land.

*Edited version of the paper presented at the Centre for Public Policy Studies (Asian Strategy & Leadership Institute) – National Young Lawyers Committee (Bar Council) 1st Young Malaysians Roundtable Discussion on National Unity & Development in Malaysia “Challenges and Prospects for Nation Building” held at the Bar Council Auditorium on 3 April 2007.