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Essay / Nation Building Process nation is an effort to develop the spirit of patriotism and solidarity to create a country whose people share a common identity. The main objective is to foster national unity by developing a new nation and an integrated race (Hippler, 2002: 1-3). In Malaysia, the idea of creating a nation was launched before the introduction of the Malayan Union, during the struggles for independence from British colonization. One of the initiatives was the concept of "Negara-Cita Melayu" with the slogan Melayu-Raya which involved the collaboration of nationalists from Malaysia and Indonesia. The bond has strengthened as they share many common cultural elements such as religion, language, traditions, political system and economic background. However, realizing this aspiration represented a complex mission due to the differences in the social background and ideologies of the Malay community (Abdul Rahman, 2000: 44-45). The primary goal of a colonized nation is to achieve independence, which was no different for Malaysia. To achieve this goal, political, economic and social aspects were given priority in order to achieve unity between the three main ethnic groups: the ethnic Malays, who formed the majority; and Chinese and Indian immigrants who formed the second and third largest communities in the country. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayAs a result, the differences between them have been minimized in order to achieve the objective. To achieve political unity, the British proposed a merger between ethnically based political parties – the United Malays National Organization (UMNO) which represents the Malays, the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) which represents the Chinese Indian Congress (MCA) which represents the Malaysians. the Indians. The alliance of multi-ethnic political parties succeeded in stabilizing politics and the nation (Ratnam, 1965: vii, 1-3 and 4-19). The radical Malays' struggle for independence involved parties like Parti Kebangsaan Melayu Malaya (PKMM), Angkatan Pemuda Insaf (API) and Angkatan Wanita Sedar (AWAS), which allied under the slogan Indonesia Raya. In fact, the desire to fight against British colonization had resulted in a strong partnership between the left factions, Pusat Tenaga Rakyat (PUTERA) with the Pan-Malayan Council of Joint Action (PMCJA) from March to July 1947 (Mohamed Noordin, 2005: 41. Then, a coalition between PMCJAPUTERA-ACCC (All Chinese Chambers of Commerce) was carried out, from August to October 1947, which received the support of the Chinese Communist Party (PKM) (Purcell, 1965: 110,). The government's efforts to unite the country's multi-ethnic residents in the economic sector were evident, especially after the May 13 social unrest, through the introduction of the New Economic Policy (NEP). countries would no longer be based on ethnicity, such as Chinese dominance in the mining and industrial sectors and Malaysian dependence on self-sustaining economic zones. The aim was to achieve a balance in the. national economy, which could lead to better unity between countries. multi-ethnic society of the nation (Faaland, 1991: xvi-xvii). Even with the various means introduced by previous prime ministers,unity within the multi-ethnic society remains fragile. Cultural elements that display even the slightest sign of ethnic sentiments are still contested by some quarters. Among the issues are the status of Bahasa Melayu as the national language, vernacular schools, Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera, and the special privileges of the Malays. The dominance of ethnic influence has caused some researchers to see it as an element or agenda that could be politicized by certain political parties with vested interests to gain voter support. In fact, some even believe that a political party could garner voter support if it stirs up racial issues among the public. Thus, to strengthen national unity, the current Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak, introduced the 1Malaysia concept. It is a policy that aspires to integrate society as a single functional unit without taking into consideration the diversity of its cultures and traditions. In fact, it is a new agenda which is nourished by common elements or solidarity between the different ethnic groups of the nation (Najib Tun Abdul Razak, 2008: 2-4). The question is to what extent this goal can be achieved, and the Malays, Chinese and Indians together perceive themselves as one Malaysian. Indeed, the concept of Malaysian race was proposed by Tun during his tenure, but the issue is still debated to this day. The concept of 1Malaysia is therefore rhetorical, as it was already proposed by the previous leader, because in reality, it is considered a mission impossible to accomplish. This problem is even more important because even though Malaysia gained independence 54 years ago, the national identity that should form the backbone of unity still remains vague to citizens. In order to determine the impact of this concept, the article aims to analyze the phases involved in nation building. To support the discussion, some nation building strategies employed by foreign countries will be presented. The concept of nation building The term nation building comes from the English language which was popularized by Western society because they were the ones who conceptualized the notion. It is a two-word term where the word "building" is translated as pembinaan in Malay (Kamus Inggeris Melayu Dewan, 1999: 202), while the word "nation" has a broader meaning, as it could refer to a race or a country. (Abdul Rahman, 2000: 12). However, the article will employ both meanings as they are closely related in that a "nation" is made up of people belonging to various groups, while a "nation" will cease to function without a country. Before a nation can be founded, five elements must be met. One aspect is that the country must have gained independence. Then, society must show solidarity, which could motivate its people to govern the country. Third, there should be an organized political system, which gives the government the space to carry out its responsibilities. The fourth element is that the country must have autonomy, where the government has the power to approve, grant consent, demand loyalty and support to make the administration of the country more systematic. Fifth, the government in power must have the mandate of the people. The people must be loyal and support the government, at least to work towards political unity or become a member of the country where the pact will continue even when the government faces a crisis (Friedrich, 1963: 27). is determined that Malaysia has met the requirements. The problem and the difficulties arising from it focus more on establishing a nation sharing a national identityidentical. The main objective of nation building, whether it is a monoracial or multiracial nation, is to form a unity which can be channeled towards the development of a country. Therefore, every citizen must be ready to adopt a one-nation concept which involves restructuring the socio-politics, socio-economics and socio-culture of the present society, to be adapted to the newly founded nation and the needs of the society. government to improve the unity and development of the country (Ribeiro, 1971: 40-41). Nation building is not only about establishing solidarity among its people, but it also gives citizens a new identity. By instilling unity, the spirit of integration could be fostered, which could lead to a loyalty to the country of residence that exceeds their dedication to their own ethnicity. Goal National unity will be the ultimate goal of the NDP, because a united community is important for strengthening social and political stability and maintaining lasting stability. economic developmentThe NDP TAKES A STEP TO ENABLE Malaysia to achieve the status of a developed nation in all respects in terms of society, values, ethics and morals, political stability, quality of life, efficiency of government and economic excellence. Implementation StrategyMaintaining the core strategy of the NEP is the eradication of poverty and the restructuring of social and economic imbalances between races, which contributes to strengthening national unity. Ensure balanced development of the main economic sectors (mining, services, agriculture and farming) Build a society that has social value and appreciates positive aspects. feelings of pride and patriotismReduce and eliminate social inequalities and promote the sharing of national economic benefits in a more fair and equitable mannerReduce inequalities in economic development between urban and rural areasFocus on the development of a commercial and industrial Bumiputera communityEnsure that appropriate attention be paid to environmental protection and ecology in order to ensure long-term sustainable development of the countryMaking science and technology an integral part of socio-economic planning and developmentNew approachCompetition in international markets#The NDP took into account the country's ability to compete in the international market.Vision 2020#encourages society to use national resources wisely to build a good economy. And reach the level of developed countriesPoverty reduction#Training provided to rural youth will enable them to obtain skilled jobs and higher incomeRestructuring of society#Eliminate the identification of race with economic function and restructuring property rights will continue to be a key program under this strategy.Imact National Development Policy The Malaysian economy grew at an average annual rate of 6.2 percent between 1991 and 2005. This strong growth rate was achieved despite challenges faced during events such as the Asian financial crisis of 1997-1998. Growth was achieved with low average inflation. 2.9% per year Low unemployment rate, averaging 3.1% per year. The quality of life of Malaysians has increased since 1991. (Education, working life, communication, health) NDP women's participation in the workforce increases to 53.6 percent. Central road coverage increases to 51,262 km. 98 percent central water supply increased to 94 percent 5,737 villages connected through wireless village program RM175 billion invested in five regional economic corridors, creating427,100 jobs Life expectancy in Malaysia increases to 74.8 years 102,200 affordable housing units completed unemployment rate decreases to 2.9 percent 1.8 million new job opportunities created 90.7 percent preschool enrollments36 .5 percent academic staff with doctorates in public universities15 percent household waste recycling rateforest cover increases to 61 percent23,264 hectares of forest classified as permanent reserve forest93,100 km of new roads constructed46 percent Increase in passenger rate at KL International Airport (KLIA) KLIA2 opened and third runway operational at KLIA Urban rail commuters increased by 32 percent 70 percent households with broadband penetration 14 areas at nationwide having access to digital terrestrial television 95 percent of the population receives clean and treated water services sector contributes RM2.55 trillion to GDP the manufacturing sector contributes RM1.111 trillion to GDP the agricultural sector contributes to RM455 billion to GDPConstruction sector contributes RM194 billion to GDPSmall and medium enterprises contribute RM1,606 billion to GDPMalaysia ranked 18th out of 189 economies in 2015 World Bank 'MakeBusiness' ReportMalaysia ranked 33rd on the global innovation index out of 143 countries. Malaysia has enjoyed one of the best economic growth records in Asia despite a multitude of economic challenges and shocks. The 11MP report indicates that the country's growth has achieved a stable real gross domestic product (GDP) of 6.2 percent per year since 1970, successfully transforming the country from a primarily agricultural economy in the 1970s to a manufacturing economy. in the mid-1980s and modern services in the 1990s. National income per capita increased by more than 25%. -folded from US$402 in 1970 to US$10,796 last year, and is on track to surpass the US$15,000 threshold of a high-income economy by 2020. All these gains are returned possible through Malaysia's development philosophy which places the prosperity and well-being of the rakyat at the heart of economic growth. This commitment is reflected in each successive development policy launched with the New Economic Policy 1971-1990, the National Development Policy 1991-2000, the National Vision Policy 2001-2010 and the National Transformation Policy 2011. -2020.—BERNAMA .ConclusionNation building has evolved into a political agenda aimed at instilling unity and reducing inter-ethnic conflicts. Unity is achieved through the development of a national ideology or policy aimed at forming an identity that could be shared and used to enhance loyalty to the country rather than to one's ethnicity. However, with the strong affinity with their ethnicity, this is a completely impossible dream to achieve. Based on the experience of nation building in other countries like France, Russia, America, Nigeria and Indonesia, although there was a standard national identity based on the culture of the indigenous majority , but there were still problems as some communities found it difficult to accept the ideology. The implication is that integration would face problems if the government's agenda appeared to marginalize minority ethnic groups. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay If this sense of prejudice is still allowed to prevail in society, then the concept of Malaysia will never come true. However, if the aspiration is to develop an integrated society.
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