The Concept of Muhibah in Nation-Building in Malaysia: the Challenges and Prospects

  • Authors

    • Wan Norhasniah Wan Husin
    • Haslina Ibrahim
    2018-08-08
    https://doi.org/10.14419/ijet.v7i3.21.17203
  • Muhibah, Nation-building, Plural Society, Malaysia
  • This article deliberated on the concept of muhibah and its application as a means to foster harmony in the Malaysian pluralistic society comprising mainly the Malays, Chinese and Indians. Given the multiracial, multicultural and multireligous background, the study acknowledges the need to protect one’s heritage and cultural traits which are necessarily connected to the question of right and freedom as the Malaysian citizen. The questions at hands, how is it possible to inculcate muhibah in the face of multiple claims to right and freedom. The article will therefore focus on the two issues pertain to right which are the right to freedom of religion and the right to language. The analysis is qualitative in nature and it relied upon library research for data collection. The article adopts textual analysis method for data analysis. The findings show that despite its historical relevance and practicality, implementing muhibah has been very challenging in Malaysia. This is due the pressing demand from particular ethnic and religion, to preserving their cultural trait. It is therefore concluded that the success of muhibah is a reciprocal process. It can be achievable if every ethnic group in Malaysia have trust and respect for the national policy such as muhibah and therefore willing to work together in realizing the policy.

     

     

  • References

    1. lang=X-NONE style='font-size:8.0pt'>
    2. style='mso-spacerun:yes'> ADDIN EN.REFLIST
    3. field-separator'>[1] Emerson R. Africa and United States Policy: Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice-Hall; 1967.

      [2] Friedrich CJ. Man and his government: An empirical theory of politics: McGraw-Hill; 1963.

      [3] Hippler J. Ethnicity, state, and nation-building-experiences, policies and conceptualization. Unpublished manuscript Retrieved July. 2002;3:2003.

      [4] Ribeiro D. The civilizational process. 1968.

      [5] Kamaruzaman KO. Religion and pluralistic co-existence: the muhibah perspective a collection of seminar papers: IIUM Press; 2010.

      [6] Embong AR. Negara bangsa: proses dan perbahasan: Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; 2000.

      [7] Cheah BK. Malaysia: The making of a nation: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies; 2002.

      [8] Ibrahim H, Rokis RA, Husin WNW. Muhibah is Not Religious Pluralism: The Understanding of Religious Coexistence among Religious Leaders in Malaysia. TAFHIM: IKIM Journal of Islam and the Contemporary World. 2016;9.

      [9] Purcell V. The Chinese in Malaya. London: Oxford University Press; 1967.

      [10] Husin W, Noorhasniah W. Peradaban dan Perkauman di Malaysia: Hubungan Etnik Melayu-Cina/Wan Noorhasniah Wan Husin: Penerbit Universiti Malaya; 2012.

      [11] Collin A. The Naked of Social Order and The Roots of Racial Polarisation in Malaysia. Malaysia: Pelanduk Publication. 2004.

      [12] Shamsul AB. Debating about identity in Malaysia: A discourse analysis. Southeast Asian Studies. 1996;34(3):476-99.

      [13] Smith AD. The ethnic origins of nations. 1986.

      [14] Hitler A, Germany C. Mein Kampf From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia You have new messages (last change). Mein Kampf Most common cover of Mein Kampf. 1925.

      [15] Lee SM, Thatcher N, Margison GP. O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase depletion and regeneration in human peripheral lymphocytes following dacarbazine and fotemustine. Cancer research. 1991;51(2):619-23.

      [16] Dawson R. The legacy of China. 1964.

      [17] Huntington SP. The clash of civilizations? Foreign affairs. 1993:22-49.

      [18] Lim DC. Overcoming Passion for Race in Malaysia Cultural Studies: Brill; 2008.

      [19] Mohamed Mustafa I. Ethnicity and nationalism in the politics of nation-building in Malaysia. 16th Conference of The International Association of Historian of Asia; Sabah: Universiti Malaysia Sabah; 2000. p. 1-18.

      [20] Aḥmad M. Government and politics in Pakistan: Space Publishers; 1970.

      [21] Imtiaz M. We are committed to dialogue. A response to criticism to the interfaith commission initiative. Aliran Monthly. 2005;25(6).

      [22] Edwards J. Language, society, and identity: B. Blackwell; 1985.

      [23] Fishman JA. Language and Ehnicity. Dalam Language, Ethnicity and Inter-Group Relations, H. Giles. London: Academic Press; 1977.

      [24] Ratnam KJ. Communalism and the political process in Malaya: Kuala Lumpur: Published for the University of Singapore by the University of Malaya Press; 1965.

      [25] Chang C-Y, Zhang Q. The essence of Chinese culture: China Academy; 1957.

      [26] Tan YS. Politik Dongjiaozong dalam pendidikan vernakular Cina di Semenanjung Malaysia, 1960-1982: Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia; 2005.

      [27] Shamsul Amri B. (KITA). IKHE, editor2010.

    4. font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:Batang;
    5. mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:KO;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA'>
    6. style='mso-element:field-end'>
  • Downloads

  • How to Cite

    Norhasniah Wan Husin, W., & Ibrahim, H. (2018). The Concept of Muhibah in Nation-Building in Malaysia: the Challenges and Prospects. International Journal of Engineering & Technology, 7(3.21), 415-419. https://doi.org/10.14419/ijet.v7i3.21.17203