Conceptualizing Diversity:

Towards Managing Political and Religious Differences in Malaysia

CASE ANALYSIS

Introduction

This case deals with various political and religious differences in Malaysia. This case is an
attempt to examine the links and how these traits have co-exist and sustain peace or create
further conflicts.This case argues that the effort must begin with a clear conceptualization of the
concept diversity that has empirically proven three significant traits, namely, positive, negative
and moderate. These traits are not separated and often exist next to one another or enmeshed into
a complex web of daily relations.

The ‘positive trait’ is often celebrated by highlighting the beauty and advantages of the
differences, both aesthetically and in commercial terms Therefore, positive trait of diversity has
often been taken-for-granted or as a social given because its commercial power. However, it still
needs to be dissected and analysed for it is related to other traits of diversity.

The ‘negative trait’ on the other hand highlights indeed exposes the socio-political fault lines
that exists in a plural society as a result of negative articulations of the many faceted differences
that exist in the society. As a result, it tends to create heated emotional outbursts liable to reduce
rationality, increase tension, threaten harmony and undermine stability.

The ‘moderate trait’ arises from the desire to find a balance between the positive and negative
traits, or to find an antidote to the negative trait. The expression of the moderate trait is often
rhetorical because it expresses hope not reality. As such it is highly political and often unrealistic
and emotionally charged

However, they are often treated and analyzed separately as if they are mutually exclusive, when
they are not. This has led to a general confusion in the academic and non-academic circles.
Defining the problem

This case presents the experience of Malaysia in understanding and misunderstanding of what
diversity is and the struggle Malaysian scholars and policy-makers have had in that process.

This paper argues that before we think and discuss how to manage plurality and diversity in
Malaysia we must begin with a comprehensive understanding of the concept diversity and its
traits. After that we examine how it has been applied to the Malaysian context, albeit flawed and
simplistic. Subsequently, we could move forward analytically to begin to provide analytical
devices, for example, to manage politics and religious differences in Malaysia with the aim of
finding a practical and implementable comprehensive and long-term program.

Malaysia was one of the interesting examples, quite unique, in the sense that the diversity it has
led to the formation of a demographic balance between the indigenous and the immigrant
population making assimilation almost impossible. It has to opt for the integration approach in its
governance.

The challenge of diversity and difference has always been ever present since centuries before
European arrived. Intra-ethnic diversity as well as inter-ethnic diversity in the Malay world
shapes the nature of diversity in the region during the pre-colonial era. The arrival of the various
religions and colonialisms make it more interesting, even until today.

The impact of diversity upon the lives of people in Southeast Asian communities remains an
important sociological feature that dominates even in the recent post-colonial era and
contemporary politics. We shall now turn to Malaysia as a case study as a basis to conceptualise
diversity, its traits and impact based on Malaysia’s empirical experience and subsequently to use
it as a mirror to reflect the experience of Southeast Asia in general.

At present, everyday we hear public concern about the deteriorating state of ethnic relations in
Malaysia. This is the result of the expression of various forms of grievances such as towards the
governments, state and federal ones. This case argues that how could we provide a balanced
analysis of what is happening to Malaysian society in general, positive and negative, if we were
to solely focusing on the negative traits.
Diversity

The concept of diversity as applied in Malaysia ie, . Since the positive trait has been highlighted
mostly by government agencies as part of their political campaign or in promoting tourism
within and outside Malaysia, analysts who highlight this trait are dismissed as pro-government.

There are many other Malaysian government projects that showcase the positive trait of diversity
undertaken by the government itself with the private sector that involve huge budget.

The Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) envisage that
the Malay language national stream, which has an enrolment of about 70% of school going kids
in Malaysia, should become the tool and space for national unity based on the assumption that
the society is dominated by the negative trait.

It also deals with social cohesion,

Social cohesion is a situation where there is peace, stability, prosperity and wellbeing in a
society, specifically one which is multiethnic. there exists a strong social bonding built over
many years based on at least five pre-requisites such as follows:

 a high level of materialism

 protect the quality of living and social mobility
 a social structure that is stable, peaceful and safe
 positive mutual relationships
 total involvement of all quarters in mainstream activities.

Thus, social cohesion in multi-ethnicity means economic, political and social interests are always
nurtured and bonded by daily needs. Malaysians will not sacrifice this social cohesion just to
ensure all quarters win.

Malaysian alsosupports the struggle against environmental destruction, fighting for human rights,
concern over civil community issues.
Solution making

To solve and solve inter-ethnic difference demands a complex bargaining and negotiation. This
is deemed necessary because the characteristic of diversity contains positive, negative and
moderate value. It is not untrue therefore to label Malaysia as a ‘work-in-progress. therefore all
efforts made towards achieving it can only bring cohesion, which is considered often as a
prerequisite for unity.

Resolving them could be done through the process of reconciliation based on bargaining and
negotiation, or I call it ‘The B&N Formula’ (B&N stands for Bargaining and Negotiation not
BarisanNasional!)

The three cherished concepts of “unity, cohesion and reconciliation” are a starting point to
reflect, manage and arrange all that is complex and diverse in the sociological imagination
related to a plural society.

CONCLUSION :-

It must recognize that the root of the differences is captured in the concept diversity that in turn
has three significant traits, namely, positive, negative and moderate. However, they are often
treated and analyzed separately as if they are mutually exclusive. From the positive trait
perspective food in a plural society is something to celebrate because it represents difference in
the most positive way.

For instance, the different traits of diversity could be applied to understand the position of food
in a plural society.
CONCEPT EXPLAINED IN THIS CASE : DIVERSITY

The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each
individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences.

The concept of diversity as applied in Malaysia

In reality, the three traits are simultaneously embraced and appreciated by various groups and
levels of society in Malaysia, but analytically there more often than not are separated in analyses
done for the sake of simplicity.

Since the positive trait has been highlighted mostly by government agencies as part of their
political campaign or in promoting tourism within and outside Malaysia, analysts who highlight
this trait are dismissed as pro-government.Diversity in Malaysia tends to be in silos or mutually
exclusive.

The Malaysian government through the Ministry of Tourism and Culture Malaysia (KPKM) has
organized on a grand scale to showcase the positive trait of diversity in Malaysian society

Diversity from the angle of a negative trait and focuses on matters related to conflict, division
and tension whilst working hard to seek solutions, such as through the Neighbourhood Watch
project (RukunTetangga),creating the Societal Stress Index.

About 70% of school going kids in Malaysia, should become the tool and space for national
unity based on the assumption that the society is dominated by the negative trait. However the
negative trait in Malaysian education is heightened with the presence of vernacular schools as
part of the ‘political heritage of colonialism,’ some private and some publicly funded.
There exists a mixed view, stand and action relating to the three traits of diversity: positive,
negative and moderate. The diverse nature of these voices is extremely challenging to the point
that any effort towards bringing about unity in Malaysia yields divided action and reaction; there
are those who support it, those who dispute it, those who oppose it and those who ridicule it. In
short, the biggest challenge for analysts is to understand and explain the existence of different
traits and cross-articulations within the concept diversity itself and how they co-exist.

Diversity also causes certain problems those are as follows:-

(i) Communication becomes more difficult. Employees from different cultures fail to understand
one another. Firms operating in different language areas find difficulty in communicating with
the local employees as local employees speak different language.

(ii) Diversity increases ambiguity, complexity and confusion.

(iii) Diversity also causes problems when managers and employees overgeneralize organizational
policies, strategies, practices and procedures.

(iv) Cultural diversity creates difficulties for an organization when it wants to reach on a single
agreement.

(v) Cultural diversity increases the complexity and problems in developing overall organizational
procedures
Dimensions of Difference

Differences in work-related attitudes exist across a wide range of cultures.. Hofstede found
significant differences in behaviour and attitudes of employees and managers from different
countries that worked for IBM. He further found that national culture explained more differences
in work-related values and attitudes than the position within the organization, profession, age, or
gender. Initially Hofstede found that managers and employees vary on four primary cultural
dimensions:

 Individualism/collectivism
 Power distance.
 Uncertainty avoidance.
 Masculinity/femininity (Career success/quality of life)..