A String of Phenomena

The 13th general election in 2013 was the most recent general election in Malaysia. It was a display of stiff competition as the main opposition coalition at the time, Pakatan Rakyat, was a strong competitor for Barisan Nasional, the ruling coalition. Malaysia, situated in Southeast Asia, is a melting pot of diverse cultures. Its population is about 31 million people. The main ethnic groups in Malaysia are the Malays, Chinese and Indians who are racially and culturally distinct from one another. The mounting polarization between the Malays and Chinese was reflected in the general election result in 1969, which was a major disappointment for the Alliance Party. In that election, the party lost the two-thirds majority in parliament as well as majorities in the Penang and Kelantan states. An endeavor to integrate all ethnic groups in Malaysia is manifested in the concept of “1Malaysia” that was officially introduced by Prime Minister Najib on September 16, 2010.