In GE15, the surge of Malay youth support for Perikatan Nasional sparked narratives about a rising “green” or “theocratic wave” and urgent questions about the shifting political attitudes of younger Malays. Many were quick to blame the election outcome on the lowering of the voting age and even went as far as calling the constitutional amendment a mistake. But these narratives are simplistic and divisive and do not get to the heart of the problem.

Orang Kita: Politics of Acknowledgement and Resentment is a brilliant new paper by IMAN Research that dives into the minds of Malay youths, especially in the Malay heartland.

In this episode, we speak to Aziff Azuddin, the author of the report, about the insecurities, sentiments and political desires of the Malay youth. We also discuss how we can truly build a political project based on multiculturalism and democracy in polarised Malaysia, or at least, where to start.

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