REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, By: Azyumardi Azra

KL Sentral- a popular neighborhood in downtown of Kuala Lumpur, the capital of the federal state of Malaysia. It located not far from the KLCC area-one of the symbols of Malaysia's economic progress- there were not many tall buildings in the area of KL Sentral. It was the area that has not been touched by infrastructure development and economic progress. KL Sentral was still dominated by old buildings, dull, tended to be dirty and smelly, which filled with overhang market, grocery shops and food stalls.

KL Sentral neighborhood was largely still showing the old face of KL. This area was still a 'village' which was not much more left. In there was located ‘India hometown’ which looked distinctive, as well as Malay village. This is the region where the lower class of three tribes (ethnic) Malaysia; Malay, Chinese, and India met in passing –that did not always have to mingle and blend.

Getting accommodations for four days and four nights in KL Sentral area while attending the Fifth Assembly of the Asian Muslim Action Network (AMAN) 4-7 June 2015, the authors of this Resonance recently know, this area was not the right place for straight people. There were certain places in the KL Sentral which was the location of the 'red light'. Therefore, for those who loved to do nasty thing, maybe this corner of KL Sentral they were looking for.

Viewing KL Sentral from the streets and the market, I found a number of things for reflection. The scenery while in KL Sentral along celebration of Milad 25 years AMAN was pushing the author –which since in 2013 was asked to be Chairman of AMAN replaced Asghar Ali Engineer who died –not only reflected about AMAN which was active in peace program, interfaith dialogue, empowerment and strengthening of Islam wasatiyah, but also on the dynamics of Malaysian society, especially in the area of KL Sentral.

Although there were many areas of KL which tended to be more jammed, it obviously far below the Jakarta traffic jams. Observing passing vehicles on the streets of KL Sentral, I asked some friends to say what they saw. On one day there were no comments. The next day there was a new comment: "I looked that many cars and motorcycles were passing. The difference, in Jakarta streets there was much shinier and fancy cars that cost at least half to two billion. It was rarely seen the cars on the same class with Fortuner or Alphard or Lamborghini on the streets of KL ".

Indeed, most cars on the streets of KL were Proton with various kinds, which were generally older models or grow older cars. Then there were also small Perodua cars which, according to a friend of Malaysia, had defeated Proton. The rest were Japanese cars; which also looks pretty much was Kijang Innova or Avanza.

Was contrast scene between KL and Jakarta indicating Malaysians tend to live more simply and on the contrary the citizens of Jakarta or other cities in Indonesia more hedonistic and show off? Or was the scenery on the highway of KL showed the symptoms of other socioeconomic which rooted much deeper?

Symptoms of vehicles on the streets of KL showed the Malaysian economy at the 'ordinary' (public) community level did not grow as shown in the statistics. According to various data, estimates, and statistics, Malaysia's economy was growing 6.0 to 5.4 percent in the last 10 years. But it was also clear, in the past, Malaysia's economic growth continued to slow.

Therefore do not be surprised if Dato Saifuddin Abdullah, CEO of the Global Movement of Moderates (GMM), Malaysia, urged travelers (tourists) to shop more. By doing so, he said, the Malaysian economy could be compelled to rise again.

Malaysia's economic growth which was ever seemed phenomenal was an important factor that could maintain the integrity of the 'fusion' between tribes in Malaysia. The faster and larger economic growth, the tension between ethnics in Malaysia was also more diminished.

But economic growth alone was not enough without equalization. Income inequality and welfare were still wide between the three dominant 'tribes' groups: Malays (about 60 percent), Chinese (less than 30 percent), and India (about 8 percent). Although the prosperity of Malays and India were also increased, the Malaysian economy was still dominated by Chinese.

The persistence of economic disparities among the three ethnic groups was enriching again the jealousy of social, economic and political. If the Malays and the India, especially at the grassroots level, were save the aggravation due to economic conditions and welfare of those which have not changed much, otherwise the China was precipitating dissatisfaction with what they call the ongoing political and social discrimination.

Inequality of economic, political, social and religious were continuing in Malaysia in the midst of the dynamics of this country. Therefore, the relationship between tribes in Malaysia was still the main agenda if the country was able to grow with the coherence and unity among its citizens.

Indonesia is fortunate because basically do not have tension and conflict between tribes, communalism and acute and latent ethnicity. There are varieties of tribes and people mingle in this country-legacy and an invaluable asset for the nation-state of Indonesia, which must be empowered to Indonesia which more coherent and unified.

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