VOICES OF THIRD GENERATION MALAYSIAN INDIANS: MALAYSIAN OR MALAYSIAN INDIAN?

In this article, the third generation Indian voices in Malaysia are examined to see whether they perceive themselves more as Malaysian or Malaysian Indian. This is essentially to discover how individuals manage and reconcile their ethnic identities with their national identity. Through a series of semi-structured interview questions, the respondents narrate what can be considered as constitutive of their ethnic identity. Based on the 22 Malaysian Indian respondents, it is found that their identity is recognisable through four main pillars: physical appearance, religion, Tamil language and cultural practices at home. While the third generation respondents have a keen awareness of their ethnic identity, they view themselves as Malaysian first rather than purely stressing on their ethnicity. This is reflective of how Malaysianized they are.