-Caveat Lector- WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peace at any cost is a Prelude to War! Malaysia: Courting the Chinese Vote Could Mean Violence 22 June 2001 Analysis In a move aimed at courting the increasingly important Chinese vote, Malaysia's main opposition party, Parti Islam se Malaysia (PAS), named an ethnic Chinese to a top party post on June 17. The action follows a similar move by Malaysia's ruling party, United Malay National Organization (UMNO). As the two main Malay parties compete for the Chinese vote, the country's Chinese political parties are gaining strength. But bringing the Chinese into the center of Malaysian politics risks breaking the tenuous 30-year racial harmony. Ethnic Chinese influence in Malaysia is also felt not only politically but also economically. Though Chinese make up less than 30 percent of Malaysia's population, at the end of 1999, they controlled 37.9 percent of corporate wealth. This is in sharp contrast to the 19.1 percent share held by Malaysia's Malay and indigenous populations, who comprise nearly 65 percent of the population. Ethnic Indians, nearly 8 percent of the population, controlled just 1.5 percent of corporate wealth. This is an abbreviated report. For full text, graphics and access to the in-depth intelligence and research on our website, click here to become a member! In the past, affirmative action programs offset the economic gap between the Chinese and Malays. Economic policies and laws enacted after race riots in 1969 grant the Malay and indigenous population, known locally as Bumiputras, special economic, social and political privileges. During the economic boom between the 1970s and late 1990s, the balance between economically powerful Chinese and politically powerful Malays remained largely undisturbed. But with the onset of the Asian economic crisis, the long-ruling UMNO faced a political crisis triggered by conflicting economic policy proposals. The result was a rift among Malays, which the opposition PAS quickly used to strengthen its own position. Now economic problems are contributing to renewed tensions between the three main ethnic groups. In May, riots broke out between ethnic Malays and ethnic Indians in Kuala Lumpur's suburbs, leaving six dead. Meanwhile, fears of recession are fueling the Chinese and Indian communities' anger over affirmative action for Malays. Chinese and Indian groups in Malaysia are growing more vocal about ending the racial quota system in universities as well. Currently, Bumiputras are guaranteed 55 percent of university admissions, while Chinese get 35 percent and the rest go to ethnic Indians. In mid-May Education Minister Musa Mohamed said the Malay quota could be raised to 65 percent to better reflect the country's ethnic makeup. One predominantly Chinese opposition party, the Democratic Action Party (DAP), quickly countered that Malays already hold 69.9 percent of university seats, citing government statistics. The affirmative action program angers even members of Malaysia's ruling coalition. The vice president of the ethnic Chinese Gerakan party has expressed dissatisfaction with the admission quotas, arguing that Bumiputras should not be granted admissions "at the expense of non-Bumiputras, more so brilliant ones." Meanwhile, the Chinese want to leverage their newfound importance to gain greater political power in Malaysia. But both UMNO and PAS must keep the Malay community's support while attempting to gain Chinese trust and votes. Growing Chinese political power threatens Malaysia's tenuous racial balance. The 1969 race riots that in the first place led to the Malay affirmative action program were triggered by major Chinese election victories. *COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. 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