Racial polarisation issues in public higher learning institutions has long been debated and continues to
exist even with the many effort for unity seen through nation’s education policies. Despite the
existence of opportunities for students to interact with the other ethnic throughout their studies, their
social relation was relatively moderate. Past findings suggested further studies be made to the factors
contributing to racial polarisation and that there should be a platform which encouraged students to
cooperate and enabled them to reached a common ground. The objective of this paper is to do a
preliminary survey on inter-ethnic dialogue which could become a platform in enhancing good social
relation between students of different ethnics in public and private universities. A successful interethnic
dialogue must include the four dimension of social relation: assimilation, amalgamation,
acculturation and accommodation, with which the social relation in Malaysia revolves, contributed
primarily by its historical and political factors.
A plural society existence due to economic policy is an outcome of foreign colonization. Due to the
British economic policy, Malaya saw the influx two foreign ethnic; Chinese and Indian, working in tin
mining and rubber estates respectively. Early conflict involving the Malays and these foreign workers
is inevitable which is evident during both the Japanese intervention and the British colonization. The
objective of this paper is to review the role and responsibilities of Communities Liaison Committee in
pioneering social cohesion between the three main ethnics in Malaya during the crucial time of
Japanese intervention, British colonization, communist threat and the declaration of emergency. Before
CLC, a cooperation was initiated by AMCJA-PUTERA coalition but was short lived due to the absence
of support from the British and lack of bargaining between Malays and Non-Malays. CLC received a
full patronage of the British as the pioneer of social cohesion in Malaya, especially when it was able to call upon the three main ethnic in its discussion of bargaining and negotiation or what is widely known
as the social contract, as well as practicing political power sharing.
Racial polarisation issues in public higher learning institutions has long been debated and continues to
exist even with the many effort for unity seen through nation’s education policies. Despite the
existence of opportunities for students to interact with the other ethnic throughout their studies, their
social relation was relatively moderate. Past findings suggested further studies be made to the factors
contributing to racial polarisation and that there should be a platform which encouraged students to
cooperate and enabled them to reached a common ground. The objective of this paper is to do a
preliminary survey on inter-ethnic dialogue which could become a platform in enhancing good social
relation between students of different ethnics in public and private universities. A successful interethnic
dialogue must include the four dimension of social relation: assimilation, amalgamation,
acculturation and accommodation, with which the social relation in Malaysia revolves, contributed
primarily by its historical and political factors.