The Concept of a Malaysian Culture

Malaysia was created as a political entity on 16 September 1963 from fourteen states: the nine hereditary Malay sultanates Qohore, Kedah, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Selangor and Trengganu), the three former members of the British Straits Settlements (Malacca, Penang and Singapore) and the two British crown colonies of Sabah (formerly British North Borneo) and Sarawak. (Singapore seceded in 1965.) The term “Malaysian” is used here, regardless of ethnic designation, to refer to all citizens of Malaysia.

For the government, the creation of Malaysia was under- stood to mean not only a political unification of the diverse territories, but the beginning of a new cultural unity. From their viewpoint, Malaysia was a product of evolution from a common heritage. Malaysians are seen as having “had a common back- ground from the earliest historical times and having been subjected to common cultural influences” (Ministry of Culture, n.d.). However, Malaysians are considered as comprising two main categories of citizens: indigenous and immigrant.

The implication of this statement is that two distinct groups of Malaysians — indigenous and immigrant — actually exist, and that the indigenous peoples are the more deep-rooted in Malaysia. However, between the two categories one is not seen as culturally “pure” or “isolated” from the other; rather they are considered as having transformed cross-culturally by the assimilation of cultural elements in a multi-ethnic society.