ABSTRACT
This part introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The part highlights a particularly stark manifestation of Malaysia's inter-ethnic disparities. However impressive Malaysia's accomplishments overall in reducing poverty and boosting opportunities across ethnic categories, indigenous minorities in particular remain deeply disadvantaged. The chapter examines the ups and downs of civil liberties in Malaysia, over the course of successive administrations. While the Malaysian constitution grants a full raft of civil liberties and both positive and negative rights, these are contravened or curbed by enactments that prioritise aspects of public order over individual rights. It focuses on Malaysia's longstanding cultural and religious pluralism, tensions disrupting interfaith relations, and initiatives, originating both with government and with civil society, to sustain harmony. The chapter argues for a critical, rather than merely instrumental, approach to gender, to explore the distribution of power and resources in Malaysian society.
