A vast majority of Malaysians believe that speaking Bahasa Melayu is essential to truly belonging in the country, according to a recent study by the Pew Research Center.
The report, titled: “What makes someone ‘truly’ belong in a country?” found that 79% of Malaysian respondents consider fluency in the national language a defining factor of national identity.
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Conversely, only 8% of those surveyed dismissed language as an important criterion for belonging.
This sentiment mirrors responses from neighbouring countries such as Thailand (78%) and Indonesia (83%), with Singapore standing as an outlier.
“Globally, most people believe speaking the country’s main language is at least somewhat important for feeling like you truly belong. In many countries, a large number see it as very important,” the report stated.
Beyond language, the study highlighted other factors Malaysians associate with national belonging.
Nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents said being born in Malaysia plays a crucial role in being truly Malaysian.
Meanwhile, 58% believe that sharing the country’s customs and traditions is equally significant.
Interestingly, the survey found contrasting views in Singapore, where only about a quarter of adults see speaking Mandarin as vital to being Singaporean.
The city-state, which has four official languages—English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil—reflects a more diverse linguistic approach to identity.
