ELITE COHESION IN MALAYSIA : A STUDY OF ALLIANCE LEADERSHIP

Abstract

Much of the literature on political development emphasizes national political integration as a crucial aspect. This study, however, focuses on elite cohesion, which is the most important pre-condition for national political integration in communal societies. Elite cohesion is defined as the capacity of the members of the political elite to co-operate, that is, the degree to which they can work together with the deliberate aim of counteracting disintegrative tendencies in the system. Focusing on Malaysia this study seeks to find out the bases of elite cohesion. The stability of the Malaysian polity is the result of the cohesiveness of the political leaders in the Alliance coalition, which dominates the Malaysian political scene since independence. However, the cohesiveness of the Malaysian political elite is not based on the sharing of a common ideology nor the use of coercion. One of the impetus for co-operation is the expectation of mutual political and economic gains. Furthermore, the sharing of a common life-style, reinforced by kinship, friendship and business ties, facilitates the politics of accomodation. Elite cohesion in Malaysia is further sustained by the acceptance of a set of norms and rules. This study concludes that the cohesiveness of the Malaysian political elite rests on a complex interlocking of a variety of factors. The British colonial regime was responsible for the development of these bases of elite cohesion. This study thus suggests a general thesis that a period of tutelage is necessary for the creation of a cohesive national political elite.