ABSTRACT
A look below the surface of nationalist rhetoric and displays, and expressions of hopeful togetherness, reveals Malaysians of diverse backgrounds interpreting social events, their positions in the broader society and experiences with each other. Their often heated views vary across social groups and the sites of events, whether these events are governmentorganized or community-based and whether on public stages, religious institutions, or in private homes. Although many Malaysians make interpretations of their positions and experiences that express seething tensions between groups, competition over jobs, entrance and desired tracks in schools, and status and influence, they also tend to take seriously surface pronouncements of national unity and togetherness. Indeed, there is a fire below the surface, incinerating strains between notions and realities of equality and inequality, and yet, the sanguine surface resonates with some everyday experiences and deeper yearnings of many Malaysians.
