This is because it concerns the very nature of the Federation of Malaysia, and of federalism’s role in the development of the country. The inter-ethnic balancing act behind the formation of Malaysia in 1963 is well known, where the addition of Chinese-majority Singapore was countered by indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak. The Second Malaysia Plan opened the gates for policymaking to be strongly race-conscious and centralising. Looking back, it has been voters living in Kuala Lumpur who have suffered most dramatically in their loss of democratic rights. His recent books include Catharsis: A Second Chance for Democracy in Malaysia (2018, Penang Institute, SIRD and ISEAS).

Source: The Edge Markets September 27, 2022 04:10 UTC