On Saturday, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim took to the stage at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre for a Chinese New Year Global Launching event. It was a unique occasion. The Global Launching is organised by the Chinese Ministry of Culture and Tourism and has been held annually for 25 years: this was the first time it had ever been held outside of China. Mr Anwar said it was a manifestation of Malaysia’s policy of inclusivity – 23 per cent of the population is of Chinese descent – and that it was “to make sure that every Malaysian has a place here and feels proud of this country”.
These were fine words. Who could object to them? But if this event had happened only a few years ago, during Najib Tun Razak’s second term as prime minister – from 2013 to 2018 – you can be certain that the country’s then former and future premier Mahathir Mohamad would have said it was evidence Malaysia was being “sold off” to China. Though the country, then as now, has strong economic ties with Beijing, the accusation would not have been even vaguely true. It would, however, have been a trope wearily familiar to Malaysian Chinese families who, despite having been in the country for generations – and in many cases for hundreds of years – are still used to being referred to derogatorily as “pendatang”, or immigrants, by Malay chauvinists such as Dr Mahathir.
He was still at it in September 2023, saying that Mr Anwar was “a person who tells us that this country does not only belong to the Malays and that it also belongs to others. He wants to give this country away to outsiders”. Today ethnic Malays are about 57 per cent of the population, and if you include other indigenous groups, the figure for the “bumiputera”, or sons of the soil, rises to nearly 70 per cent. Ethnic Chinese and Indians (at about 7 per cent) are large minorities, but they are shrinking in percentage terms.
Dr Mahathir may be of decreasing political relevance, and many of his pronouncements may be dismissed as the statements of a former official who has fallen out with almost every single one of his former deputy prime ministers and proteges – most famously, with Mr Anwar, who went from being both to Dr Mahathir in 1998 to being jailed the following year.
But there is still a lot of sensitivity about race and religion in the country. The two often go hand in hand, as all Malays are Muslim, for instance, while virtually no ethnic Chinese citizens of Malaysia are. The country’s foremost comedian, Harith Iskander, is currently in hot water for having made a joke on social media about a coffee drink called “Ham Sap Kopi”. “This kopi will lead me down the wrong path,” he wrote, “confusing me with the word ‘ham’ in it.” Mr Harith, and a Malaysian Chinese social media user who commented on it, have had 16 police reports lodged against them and are being investigated by the authorities.
Last month, an ethnic Chinese minister received criticism for hosting a Christmas party at his ministry over the fact that Muslim staff were present. The minister, Nga Kor Ming, was undeterred, pointing out that all festivals would be celebrated, including Eid Al Fitr, Deepavali, Christmas and Chinese New Year. “We will continue to honour and respect our multicultural society,” he said. Unfortunately, as anyone who lives in the country will know, such incidents are not unusual.
All of which makes Mr Anwar’s leadership by example the more welcome. His government “cherishes cultural diversity and traditions while promoting unity among people of all races. Gong Xi Fa Cai to all celebrating”, he posted on social media this week, referring to a common saying used over Chinese New Year that roughly translates to “I wish you good fortune”. And at the moment, it appears that the country is with him. This is because evidence of Chinese New Year is absolutely inescapable in Kuala Lumpur, where I live, at least. There are signs and songs everywhere, in the malls, in the supermarkets, by the roadsides, and in the media.
It is the only time in the year when my hairdresser closes and the only time that my favourite orange seller shuts for a week. Both go back to the state of Perak, where Chinese tin-mining communities were established in the 19th century, for “CNY”, as we abbreviate it. There have been lion dances at my sons’ schools. Plenty more are to come, in the shopping centres, at the family clubs we belong to, and at our apartment complex. Some are impressive and perilously acrobatic; others are more humorous. One year the “lion” entered our building’s gym and went on the cross-trainer for a few minutes.
I can hear fireworks and firecrackers going off as I write this, and they will continue to do so day and night for about another two weeks. And no one objects. Malaysians of all races wish each other “Happy CNY”, as Malays, Indians and Chinese are currently doing on my tennis club app.
There are times when the country’s much-trumped diversity and harmony ring a little hollow. The first essay I wrote for this paper, in 2011, was headlined “Many cultures fall short of making up one Malaysia”, and forging a truly Malaysian identity that encompasses all is still an ongoing – and maybe never-ending – task.
But there are signs of progress, and if the Chinese-led Democratic Action Party can be the biggest party in Mr Anwar’s unity government and manage to get along with another party, the United Malays National Organisation, when both had previously demonised each other for 60 years, there may be hope that such a spirit can spread among others who were previously polarised.
Right now, it feels as though everyone is in spirit with the country’s beloved founding father, Tunku Abdul Rahman, who famously said: “My ambition is not mighty Malaysia, but happy Malaysia.” Proud Malay prince that he was, Tunku would have been delighted if it should be Chinese New Year that has brought his compatriots together this month. When CNY fell on his birthday one year, he said to his people: “It would be a lovely present for me if you would only give some thought and attention to my advice on the need to live together in peace, goodwill and harmony.”
He would have certainly wished you Gong Xi Fa Cai – and so do I.
