Racism & Racial Discrimination In Malaysia

by Kua Kia Soong

This is the first in- depth expose of racism & racial discrimination in Malaysia, written from a historical and class perspective. It focuses the nation to confront once and for all the ' Bumiputera agenda' which has been implemented with impunity since the New Economic Policy in 1971.

This book is about the politics of race and class in Malaysia, highlighting the structural conditions that enable the crude manipulation of race to serve the economic interests of the ruling elite.

323 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

Reviews

[Imran Rasid]

This is the secomd time i have go with the book. Written by a known scholar-cum-public intellectual, Kua Kia Soong has never disappointed us. His copious references and archival materials, often paired with lucid and insightful analysis has makes us hard to disagree with the arguments presented in the books. The class based approach is one the unique point of the book, although i sometimes feel that the book could use a more contemporary formulation of class, one that depicts a more sophisticated(and sometimes contradictory) role of the managerial class in the government.

Anyhow a must read for Malaysians!

[Heng Jiang · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an expatriate Malaysian living in australia, the May 13 incident was always discussed in hushed whispers amongst my parents. I had no doubt in my mind that the alarming and rising temperature of racism and religiosity amongst segments of the Malay population scared them. The May 13 incident cemented the decision to leave Malaysia, our country of birth.

In many ways, this book helps to partly explain the decisions made by my family and the trauma we suffered in our attempt to create a safer future for ourselves.

This book provides in insightful detail of how these riots came about. It more importantly recognises that this was not merely a flash of emotional energy but was in part planned, plotted and schemed by a cohort of individuals who used race and religion to achieve a coup at the expense of Malaysia’s ethnic minorities.

The threat of a similar riot potentially targeting Malaysia’s minorities is regularly brought out and paraded even till today in 2023 decades after these events.

[Narendra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Malaysian political history in a nutshell. It's a shame that the author's needs-based, not race-based idea can never materialize. Oppressing the minorities will continue unless there is a colossal change in Malaysian politics. Nevertheless, a must-read book for all 'neutral' Malaysians.