National Culture Policy

The National Culture Policy introduced in 1970 in Malaysia, emphasised an assimilation of the non-Malays into the Malay ethnic group. However, during the 1990s Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad rejected this approach, with his Bangsa Malaysia policy emphasising a Malaysian instead of Malay identity for the state.

Malaysian National Culture Policy is defined in the "1971 National Culture Policy". It defines 3 principles as guidelines for 'national culture':

1. The National Culture must be based on the indigenous [Malay] culture
2. Suitable elements from the other cultures may be accepted as part of the national culture
3. Islam is an important component in the moulding of the National Culture.