ETHNICITY IN THE MALAYSIAN CIVIL SERVICE : PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

Abstract

This academic thesis concentrates on a particular policy that is adopted in the higher civil service of the Malaysian bureaucracy. The policy, known as the ethnic quota system, has created a lot of controversy as it is clearly a preferential policy that is construed in favour of the Malays who constitute only a slight majority in the heterogenous Malaysian society. This study aims to examine the problems that are generated with the implementation of this policy, both within the civil service as well as on the larger Malaysian society. It also attempts to conduct an evaluation of the policy, taking into consideration the positive and negative aspects of it. At the end of the exercise, this study questions the prospects for the continuing existence of the policy in the Malaysian Civil Service.