Abstract
Changing Malaysian Society in 1990s and UMNO Factional Dispute in 1998:
Declining Ethnic issue and Rising Liberal Politics
Lee, Jae-Hyon
This research, under an assumption that competing elite discourses in factional dispute reflect the complex web of discourses in the whole society, attempted to relate UMNO factional dispute in 1998 to the changes occurred in Malaysian society in the 1990s. For a long time, ethnic issue has shaped the competing elite discourses in UMNO factional disputes as we can see in the disputes in 1969 and 1987. In 1998 dispute, however, the contents of elite discourses took a different shape - a competition between status quo of authoritarian politics and a demand of political liberalization, sweeping political and economic reform and democratization. This new discourses mirror the changes in Malaysian society in the early 1990s. In the 1990s, Mahathir's attempt to build a new national identity, Bangsa Malaysia, inclusive of all ethnic groups was to a certain degree successful. Consequently, the ethnic issue lost its traditional appeal, although it was not completely forgotten. A new discourse i.e. questions on authoritarian politics, demand of more democratic and liberal politics, filled the vacuum left by the ethnic issue. These new elements were the product of diversification of Malaysian society following economic growth. Therefore, the new contents of elite discourses in 1998 factional dispute echoed the changes in the Malaysian society in the 1990s.
Key words : Malaysia, United Malays National Organization(UMNO), factionalism, nationalism, reformasi, Mahathir Mohamad, Anwar Ibrahim
Abstract
Changing Malaysian Society in 1990s and UMNO Factional Dispute in 1998:
Declining Ethnic issue and Rising Liberal Politics
Lee, Jae-Hyon
This research, under an assumption that competing elite discourses in factional dispute reflect the complex web of discourses in the whole society, attempted to relate UMNO factional dispute in 1998 to the changes occurred in Malaysian society in the 1990s. For a long time, ethnic issue has shaped the competing elite discourses in UMNO factional disputes as we can see in the disputes in 1969 and 1987. In 1998 dispute, however, the contents of elite discourses took a different shape - a competition between status quo of authoritarian politics and a demand of political liberalization, sweeping political and economic reform and democratization. This new discourses mirror the changes in Malaysian society in the early 1990s. In the 1990s, Mahathir's attempt to build a new national identity, Bangsa Malaysia, inclusive of all ethnic groups was to a certain degree successful. Consequently, the ethnic issue lost its traditional appeal, although it was not completely forgotten. A new discourse i.e. questions on authoritarian politics, demand of more democratic and liberal politics, filled the vacuum left by the ethnic issue. These new elements were the product of diversification of Malaysian society following economic growth. Therefore, the new contents of elite discourses in 1998 factional dispute echoed the changes in the Malaysian society in the 1990s.
Key words : Malaysia, United Malays National Organization(UMNO), factionalism, nationalism, reformasi, Mahathir Mohamad, Anwar Ibrahim