While ethnic politics is a natural aspect of national politics, it can turn toxic when exploited by racial extremists who demand that the nation be ruled by a majority race, said retired academician Sharifah Munirah Alatas.

Noting that the rise of ethno-populism in Malaysia can be traced back to the country’s fight for its independence from colonial rule, Sharifah said the political strategy precedes the riots on May 13, 1969 – a pivotal event often seen as accelerating and entrenching the “Ketuanan Melayu” (Malay supremacy) ideology in national discourse.