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This paper discusses challenges for ethnically divided society in democratic countries. Generally, Malaysia fits as one. Since independence, Malaysia’s political stability has frequently been tested by various ethnically-driven issues and challenges. Consequently, Malaysia came out with national integration policy in order to address those and integrate the ethnics. However, ethnocentrism along societal development has created tension among the ethnics and become obstacles in social integration. As a qualitative study, this paper looks at democratization in the ethnocentric Malaysian society from the inside, rather from the outside. It argues that despite the continuing efforts for democratization geared towards state development, socioeconomic disparities among ethnics are still prevalent and widespread. Among others, they have contributed to segregate economic control along social line rooted in preponderant social hierarchy among the ethnics in Malaysia.
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In-Text Citation: (Zakaria & Daud, 2018)
To Cite this Article: Zakaria, J., & Daud, S. (2018). Democratization in Ethnocentric Society. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 8(9), 1164–1174.
Copyright: © 2018 The Author(s)
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