Architects of Diversity (AOD) announces the results gathered from the State of Discrimination Survey 2023 which has collected nationally representative data on how Malaysians experience discrimination. The survey was administered to adults aged 18 and above, with a total of 3,238 respondents. The final report presents the percentage of Malaysians who encountered different types of discrimination in the past 12 months, details about workplace discrimination, public sentiment regarding religious discrimination, and the level of satisfaction with government initiatives aimed at addressing discrimination.
SUMMARY
- The majority of Malaysians (64%) were documented to have experienced some form of discrimination in the past 12 months.
- Malaysians were generally split when it came to satisfaction with government initiatives to solve discrimination, with 44% being satisfied and 41% slightly dissatisfied or not satisfied at all.
- Malaysians primarily experienced discrimination in the past 12 months in two domains – social media (32%) and in the workplace (59%).
- Both men (21%) and women (27%) reported having experienced gender-related discrimination at similar rates.
- Among those who reported having experienced discrimination, the majority of Malaysians (55%) did not report it.
Natures of discrimination
- Malaysians primarily reported having experienced discrimination related to socio-economic status (38%), age (33%) and ethnicity (32%).
- Gen Z (18-24) were more likely to report having experienced ethnicity-related discrimination (43%) than their older peers (22% for 60+ and 23% for 40-59).
- Both men and women reported having experienced gender-related discrimination in the past 12 months at similar rates – 21% and 27% respectively.
Work-domain discrimination
- Malaysians experience discrimination at the workplace while looking for jobs (30%) and at work (29%).
- Among those who reported having experienced discrimination at work, work conditions (62%) and pay (53%) were the related domains.
Religion and race-based discrimination
- Indians reported having experienced higher levels of discrimination than their peers when applying for jobs (51%), when looking for housing (35%) and when dealing with the police (21%).
- Hindus were more likely to report having experienced religious-based discrimination in the past 12 months (40%), compared to their Muslim (20%), Christian (26%) and Buddhist (22%) peers.
- Most were unaware about discrimination relating to animists (beliefs of many indigenous groups), with 44% opting to respond with “don’t know”.
- East Malaysians were more likely to experience discrimination related to work conditions (72%).
- Malay (56%) and Indians (60%) were more likely to report having experienced pay-related discrimination than Chinese (41%) and Other Bumiputera (51%) peers.
Willingness to report discrimination
- Among those who did report their experience, employers (14%) or law enforcement (11%) were the most popular reporting lines.
- Among those who did not report their experience, respondents said they chose not to report mainly due to having no evidence or difficulty producing evidence (32%) and high barriers in terms of time or money (32%).
Literacy and awareness on discrimination in Malaysia
- Discrimination literacy and agreement is generally low. For example, less than half (49%) of respondents felt that being forced to not wear religious clothing at work is considered discrimination, while 37% felt it was not considered discrimination.
Satisfaction with government initiatives to address discrimination
- Malaysians were generally split when asked about their satisfaction with the current government’s initiatives to solve discrimination.
- When asked what the government should do to solve discrimination, answers included creating a law for discrimination and raising awareness on discrimination.
‘The results are quite shocking, especially with regards to religion. I think many of us find it shocking that almost everyone feels discriminated against. This is a sad truth in Malaysia, that none of us, regardless of whether we are a minority or a majority, feels like they are a victim. No one feels happy with the state they are living in this country.’
– YB Wong Shu Qi, Member of Parliament for Kluang
‘We need to promote empathy. Empathy doesn’t mean we fully agree or we pity the other side where we agree on everything. Empathy means that we can understand where they are coming from so we can find a solution. However in this newly born country, the current generation still can manoeuvre the direction of this country to shape it into being a more empathetic and compassionate country towards each other regardless of race, religion and socioeconomic differences.’
It is unquestionable that discrimination is still pervasive among different religious and racial groups in Malaysia, greatly impacting their access to employment opportunities, housing, fair wages, and the ability to freely exercise their religion without fear of prejudice or bias.
The survey results demonstrate that there is still a significant portion of Malaysians who remain unaware of experiencing discrimination, and a substantial number hesitate to report such incidents. Ultimately, more action is needed to raise awareness and acknowledgment of discrimination which is evidently limited in Malaysia, with nearly half of Malaysians reporting their dissatisfaction with the government’s efforts to address the issue.
Architects of Diversity (Persatuan Pendidikan Diversiti) is a youth-led non-profit organisation that bridges communities and identity groups among youth in Malaysia for justice, peace and a sustainable future. Since 2018, AOD has worked towards the promotion of diversity and inclusion in Malaysia by empowering young leaders as champions of inclusivity, pioneering ideas and processes for social cohesion, and building an enabling environment for legislative change towards equity and inclusion.
The full report can be accessed at https://www.aodmalaysia.org/sods.
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