Nation building is a major issue in the political agenda of many countries, a project made more arduous in countries fragmented along racial, linguistic, and religious lines. In an attempt to gain some understanding of the issue, this paper examines the trajectory of nation building in Malaysia. Basically, the Malaysia government uses the model of nation-state to create a sense of collective national identity in a multi-ethnic society. It is a top-down approach with the state playing a dominating role. The main political parties are communal parties, based on race or religion. Well-crafted programs of nation building have been not properly implemented. While the government has achieved impressive economic development, it is at the same time becoming more authoritarian and the country faces a range of disturbing social and political problems. Thanks to a growing educated middle class, urbanization, demographic change, globalization, and the spread of the Internet, mass-based civil movements and a multi-ethnic coalition of opposition parties have emerged with the potential of redressing the situation. The study suggests a framework for understanding the trajectory and dynamics of the nation-building project in Malaysia. The framework gives a list of historical forces that are likely to shape the course of nation building in the coming years.

中文翻译：

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马来西亚国家建设研究

国家建设是许多国家政治议程中的一个主要问题，在种族、语言和宗教分裂的国家中，这个项目变得更加艰巨。为了对这个问题有所了解，本文考察了马来西亚国家建设的轨迹。基本上，马来西亚政府使用民族国家模式在多民族社会中创造集体民族认同感。这是一种自上而下的方法，国家起主导作用。主要政党是基于种族或宗教的社区政党。精心设计的国家建设方案没有得到妥善实施。虽然政府取得了令人瞩目的经济发展，但同时也变得更加专制，该国面临一系列令人不安的社会和政治问题。由于受过教育的中产阶级不断壮大、城市化、人口变化、全球化和互联网的普及，以群众为基础的公民运动和反对党的多族裔联盟已经出现，有可能纠正这种情况。该研究提出了一个框架，用于了解马来西亚国家建设项目的轨迹和动态。该框架列出了可能影响未来几年国家建设进程的历史力量。该研究提出了一个框架，用于了解马来西亚国家建设项目的轨迹和动态。该框架列出了可能影响未来几年国家建设进程的历史力量。该研究提出了一个框架，用于了解马来西亚国家建设项目的轨迹和动态。该框架列出了可能影响未来几年国家建设进程的历史力量。