Colonial "Others" and Nationalist Politics in Malaysia

SHEILA NAIR (Northern Arizona University, Sheila.Nair@nau.edu)

Abstract


Recent debates on nationalism suggest that we should revisit the connection between ethnic identity and the nation, and the difficulties confronting post-colonial societies like Malaysia's in their efforts to construct a unifying nationalist project. How and why has official Malaysian nationalism reinforced ethnic identity even as it seeks a programmatic alternarive to colonial strategies in inscribing the body of the nation? Arguing that the social construction of ethnicity under colonial rule has significant implications for the nation, the article explores how colonial rule shapes nor only the consciousness of a European 'self' distinct from a colonized 'other', but also difference in the other which plays our in nationalist politics. Recent shifts in nationalist discourse reflect changes in the Malaysian social structure and suggest the possibility of a more unifying political discourse centered around the nation although it is too early to tell if it will decenter ethnic identity.

Key words: Colonialism, nationalism, ethnicity, Malaysia, politics

ABSTRAK

Perdebatan kebelakangan ini mengenai nasionalisme menunjukkan bahawa kita perlu mengkaji semula hubungan antara identiti etnik dengan nasion, dan kesukaran-kesukaran yang dihadapi masyarakat pasca-kolonial seperti Malaysia dalam usaha mereka untuk membina suatu projek nasionalis yang menyatukan. Bagaimana dan kenapa nasionalisme rasmi Malaysia mengukuhkan identiti etnik sekalipun ia berusaha mewujudkan satu alternatif programatik kepada strategi kolonial dalam memaktubkan jasad nasion? Bertolak daripada hujah bahawa konstruksi sosial etnisiti di bawah pemerintahan penjajah mempunyai implikasi penting bagi nasion, artikel ini menelusuri bagaimana pemerintahan penjajah membentuk bukan sahaja kesedaran 'diri' sebagai orang Eropah yang berbeza daripada orang lain, yakni yang terjajah, akan tetapi juga menelusuri perbezaan di pihak orang lain, yang menjelma dalam politik nasionalis. Perubahan dalam wacana nasionalis kebelakangan ini mencerminkan perubahan dalam struktur masyarakat Malaysia dan menunjukkan kemungkinan munculnya satu wacana politik yang lebih menyatukan yang berpusarkan idea nasion. Walau bagaimanapun, ia masih terlalu awal untuk menyatakan sama ada perubahan ini akan menyahpusatkan identiti etnik.

Kata kunci: Penjajahan, nationalisme, etnisiti, Malaysia, politik


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