The Party System and National Unity: A Case Study of Malaysia

Abstract

This research paper traces the historical role played by the political parties and their impact on the national unity in Malaysia. This research paper aims to grasp the realities of politics and homogeneity of political alliances in Malaysia, which help to consolidate and mobilize support to achieve social, economic and political goals. The paper gives the conceptual idea about the political parties and their effectiveness for the national integration. The paper discusses the party’s role as catalyst for the communal associations which leads to the ‘communal plurality’ whereby the political system operates within Malaysia. Since the communal polarization has been on rise which has caused recurring tensions amongst multiple ethnic communities, the communal plurality has been instrumental in diffusing these tensions. The paper highlights the role of political parties in legitimacy and stability in modernizing the political system in Malaysian traditional society. As the significant characteristic of the political parties form and nature is determined by the socio-political framework of the society, the role of political and social modernization could not be undermined.