MAHATHIR MOHAMAD’S ROLE IN MANAGING ETHNIC PLURALISM AND MAINTAINING POLITICAL STABILITY IN MALAYSIA

Year 2022, Volume: 6 Issue: 1, 27 - 40, 30.06.2022

Esraa Elsayed Muharrem Gürkaynak

https://doi.org/10.31457/hr.1106787

Abstract

When looking at ethnic pluralism, we find that it is one of the most important factors that affected the lives of
nations and peoples during different historical stages. It represents a double-edged sword, because on the one
hand, we find that it could be one of the most dangerous sources of threats facing the multi-ethnic state, as it
may become the beginning of internal divisions that threaten the national security of the state and it may reach
the point of wars that may lead to the collapse of the entire country, the impact of ethnic pluralism may extend
beyond the borders of the state and be a source of threat to other surrounding communities. On the other hand,
ethnic pluralism may be a source of state cohesion and strength. This happens if the state manages to direct this
difference between these ethnicities to achieve cohesion between societies, and if the state seeks to establish the
state on the basis of cooperation and spreading the spirit of citizenship and national unity among all spectrums
of society. This is what the political leader Mahathir Mohamad was able to achieve in Malaysia. He was able to
unite the multi-ethnic Malaysian state, he was also able to make the ethnic diversity in Malaysian society a tool
for the progress of the state and the achievement of development and political stability in it. This article assumes
that the political leader Mahathir Mohamad had a role in managing ethnic pluralism and achieving political
stability in Malaysia, which the article will seek to test the validity of this claim.

Keywords

Political leadership, ethnic pluralism, Mahathir Mohamad, management of differences, political stability

MAHATHİR MOHAMAD’İN ETNİK ÇOĞULCULUĞU YÖNETMEDEKİ VE MALEZYA’DA SİYASİ İSTİKRARI SAĞLAMADAKİ ROLÜ

Abstract

Etnik çoğulculuğa baktığımızda, çeşitli tarihsel aşamalarda milletlerin ve halkların yaşamlarını etkileyen en
önemli faktörlerden biri olduğunu görüyoruz. Etnik çeşitlilik iki tarafı keskin bir kılıca benzer, çünkü bir yandan
etnik çoğulculuk, çok etnikli devletin karşı karşıya olduğu en tehlikeli tehdit kaynaklarından biri olabilir. Diğer
yandan devletin ulusal güvenliğini tehdit eden iç bölünmelerin de başlangıcı olabilir ve tüm ülkenin çöküşüne
yol açabilecek savaşlar noktasına ulaşabilir. Etnik çoğulculuğun etkisi devlet sınırlarının ötesine geçebilir ve
diğer komşu ülkeler için bir tehdit kaynağı olabilir. Bununla birlikte, etnik çoğulculuk, devletin birlik ve gücünün
kaynağı da olabilir. Eğer devlet, toplum arasındaki uyumu sağlamak için etnisiteler arasındaki farklılığı
yönlendirmeyi başarırsa ve devlet, toplumun tüm kesimleri arasında işbirliği ve ulusal birlik temelinde devleti
kurmaya çalışırsa olur. Siyasi lider Mahathir Mohamad’ın Malezya’da başarabildiği şey buydu. Mohamad, çok
etnik gruptan oluşan Malezya devletini birleştirip, Malezya toplumundaki etnik çeşitliliği devletin ilerlemesi için
bir araç haline getirerek kalkınma ve siyasi istikrar sağladı. Bu makale, siyasi lider Mahathir Mohamad’ın
Malezya’da çok etnikliliği yönetmede ve siyasi istikrarı sağlamada bir rolü olduğunu iddia etmekte ve bu
iddianın geçerliliğini test etmeye çalışmaktadır.

Keywords

Siyasi liderlik, etnik çoğulculuk, Mahathir Mohamad, farklılıkların yönetimi, siyasi istikrar

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