Educational opportunities for Chinese in Malaysia

Malaysia is a multi-ethnic country with three main ethnic groups: Malays, Chinese, and Indians. Malays are the largest ethnic group, comprising 57% of the population. Unlike the majority population in most modern countries, the Malays have been the least advantaged group both economically and educationally since the beginning of the independence period. After independence, Malaysian policy makers believed that establishing Malay as the national language and creating a national system of education would promote a unified culture, as well as the social and political development as a nation. Two policies were implemented to achieve these ends: the National Education Policy (1961) and the New Economics Policy (1971). In fact, the policies resulted in an educational system “preferential” to the Malays. The implications of this “preferential system” on the Chinese in Malaysia are discussed.