The causes, consequences and treatment of inequitable development in Malaysia: A case study

Social and economic inequality exists in Malaysia but its true nature, causes and consequences have not been fully analyzed and theoretically explained by Malaysian development experts. The purpose of this research was to fill this knowledge gap by identifying which were socially and economically the most disadvantaged groups; what might be the internal and external factors to explain these inequalities; what were the effects of inequality on the life chances of the most affected groups; and finally, to find out what kind of public and private initiatives might help alleviate the inequalities. The conceptual framework for the study was informed by Amartya Sen's theory of modern economic development through human freedom to diminish poverty's "capability deprivation" impacts. The mixed method research design involved triangulation by matching ethnic group socioeconomic indicators from the Malaysian Department of Statistics archives with the survey data from a purposive sample of 61 development experts in Malaysia and in-depth interviews with a sub-sample of the population sample. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques. Qualitative data analysis involved coding and linking the identified thematic categories through concept mapping. Results indicate a highly asymmetrical nature of inequality in Malaysia due to national development policies that have traditionally favored certain ethnic groups and geographic regions over the others. The implication for positive social change is development of public policy for poverty reduction regardless of ethnic and regional considerations.