Multiculturalism and Education in Malaysia

Malaysian multicultural society is typified by three major ethnic groups, namely Malays, Chinese and Indians. In the Malaysian context, ethnicity is important in the identification of one's religion as well as giving a clue of their affiliated political parties. This paper discusses the meaning of multiculturalism that emphasises the different cultural communities and the governing strategies and policies practised by the government. Particular attention is given to the issues and cases from the education system which are examined in the light of post-colonialism and the globalisation era. The discussion in this paper demonstrates how multiculturalism in Malaysia has undergone a long process of negotiation between the various ethnic groups represented by their respective political parties. The main aim of managing multiculturalism in Malaysia is to maintain national integration in which all these various cultural communities could live alongside each other while maintaining their own original identities.