Malaysia has many problems in common with other developing countries—including the difficult task of achieving economic progress and modernization while retaining useful traditional values, reducing poverty, and minimizing dependence on the export of a few primary products. It also has a remarkable, if not unique, diversity of cultures. Its ethnic divisions (approximately 47 percent Malay 34 percent Chinese, 9 percent Indian, and 10 percent "other") are deep, reflecting differences in race, language, culture, and religion. At present, the main danger of serious ethnic tension arises from...