Interethnic marriage In Malaysia: A New Perspective

Abstract

This study is related to Malaysian society in terms of the implications of interethnic marriage. It mostly focuses on how the interethnic couple lives and copes with their partner as well as the problems and challenges faced by those couples. This study, also includes the lifestyle, education, adaptation and awareness of children born from interethnic couples. In general, Malaysia has four main ethnic groups. This includes the various pribumi (aboriginal peoples), the Malays, the Chinese, and the Indians. The main form of gathering the needed information for this study was through questionnaires due to restraints caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. These questionnaires were conveyed to the target society and persons through multimedia and social messaging platforms. Two kinds of questionnaires were made, one for the couple and another one for the children born of interethnic marriage (multiethnic children). The sample of responses received for the study were satisfactory and the responses included a wide variety of point of views. Meanwhile, the analysis of the results demonstrated that while many people viewed interethnic marriages as a positive experience, the opposite was true for many as well. Hence the results of the study are not very conclusive towards the viability of interethnic marriages in Malaysia.