The Monarchy in Contemporary Malaysia

The Harmony Dividend

5 The Monarchy in Contemporary Malaysia viable? My thesis will be that it still has a crucial, albeit more challenging and complex role to play in the modern orbit of Malaysia in 2004 and beyond. In fact, its very uniqueness makes it peculiarly apt for the exigencies of the time. The distinguishing characteristic to which I refer that differentiates it from the stereotyped version is an unusual fusion of monarchy, democracy, and Islam — three powerfulforces.Wehavesuccessfullyintegrated them into one dynamic. The Harmony Dividend The Malaysian monarchy is not merely symbolic. Support for it goes beyond sentiment or symbolism. It is true we have retained the colourful mosaic of ceremonial splendours associated with royalty, which adds a touch of pageantry to what can sometimes be the humdrum side of life. One can even argue that this is the Malaysian alternative to the iconography of Hollywood though not as ephemeral. However, we are here concerned with the much more substantive role of the monarchy and its contribution to the surprising stability and harmony we have achieved. “Surprising” because it has to be seen in the context of the multi-ethnic profile of our population. Not just that, but the 6 Raja Nazrin Shah countervailing strengths of the different ethnic groups that make up the population and the inherent dangers in these divisions have been compounded by our less orthodox policy of integration, rather than assimilation, to preserve the diversity in this plurality. We have by and large managed to contain any latent potential for strife, thanks in no small measure to the concerted role of monarchy, democracy, and Islam within the social and civil polity. The monarchy provides a kind of social glue helping to bind us. It is true that the monarchy is a potent symbol of Malaysia being the “Land of the Malays”, and thereby primarily a bastion of Malay culture, identifying the Malays as the definitive people. But it is not exclusive. The monarchy is extended to Malaysians of all ethnic groups who accept its constitutional identity and live comfortably with its Malay-oriented social dimension. The monarchy, by its very nature, is a force of moderation over extremism. It can be seen as a bedrock of the constitutional process. Democracy provides the avenue by which the various constituencies can give voice to the way they choose to be governed. It is government by consent and compatible with constitutional monarchy. The Ruler1 7 The Monarchy in Contemporary Malaysia plays an important and effective role in maintaining a democratic parliamentary system by remaining politically neutral and being seen to be unbiased. Islam provides a moral compass. The Rulers are the Head of Islam in their state. Just rule is interpreted according to the tenets of Islam, which at the same time resonates with universal values found in all religions, thus providing another binding force. The alchemy of all three — monarchy, democracy, and Islam — creates the desired cohesion. This has provided continuity and brings with it a dividend of social harmony that enhances the functioning of democracy and the underlying political as well as social stability. The Monarchical System The sultanates — and there are nine of them left — have been in existence for over six centuries with their roots in fifteenth century Malacca. It is interesting that Malacca is one of the states where the monarchy has since disappeared. What is pertinent is that the denizens of these past Malay sultanates considered themselves living not so much in geographically defined states in the European convention, but under Rajas. The Malay word ...