ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses some leading themes and aims to suggest possible trends. Four principal headings stand out: economic achievements and problems, ethnic divisions, culture and national unity, and the nature of state rule in Malaysia. Malaysia's economic performance has been superior to that of most developing countries. Breaking down ethnic divisions by a policy of rapid assimilation is just not practicable; the resistance of the non-Malays would be too strong. A problem of Malaysian national culture defined in this way is that many of its symbols, such as the agung and the New Economic Policy, naturally appeal more readily to Malays than to others. The Societies Act indicates that, in general, interest groups are distrusted and participation in politics is discouraged. There are some undeniably democratic elements in the way Malaysia is governed, notably regular elections and a degree of intraparty democracy in United Malays National Organization.
