TOWARDS INTER-ETHNIC BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND NATIONAL UNITY IN MALAYSIA

This paper investigates Chinese-Bumiputera partnerships in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), particularly in the manufacturing sector, in the economic liberalisation of post-New Economic Policy (NEP) Malaysia. The research also considers how and why Chinese-Bumiputera partnerships in the construction sector have succeeded. It focuses especially on the development of Chinese- Bumiputera SME joint ventures from a sociological perspective, considering five major questions: (1) Is there a mutual nurturing when Chinese and Bumiputera work together in business partnership? (2) What is the nature of this mutual nurturing process? (3) To what extent does this process help them to advance in their business development? (4) To what extent does this process help to bridge the divide between these two ethnic groups? (5) To what extent is this type of partnership sustainable, especially in the era of the New Economic Model that emphasises equitable access and inclusiveness?