Malaysia’s multi-cultural and multi-religious society presents numerous challenges in achieving social cohesion and integrating its diverse population. The Malaysian people comprise three main ethnic groups: Malays, Chinese, and Indians. Additionally, there is a significant number of indigenous peoples, at least 164 distinct groups recognised by the government—residing both in Peninsular Malaysia and in the territories of Sabah and Sarawak. Malaysians practise various religions, with 61.3% identifying as Muslims, 19.8% as Buddhists, 9.2% as Hindus, and 6.3% adhering to other faiths. Despite its diversity, Malaysia has not experienced significant social or political conflicts escalating into violence since the 1969 riots.
In response to these historical events, the Jabatan Perpaduan Negara dan Integrasi Nasional (JPNIN), or the Department of National Unity and Integration, was established in 1969. Its mission is to prevent conflict and manage disputes that may arise in the future. Social conflicts in Malaysia often stem from factors such as economic disparities, land rights and ownership, competition over resources, issues related to migrant communities, and cultural differences. While these conflicts are not always explicitly ethnic or racial, they are frequently framed and perceived along ethnic and racial lines. Occasionally, these conflicts attract the attention of the media, political leaders, and the wider Malaysian public, escalating this to become a national issue. As such, government and national leaders remain vigilant in ensuring that these differences do not divide the nation but are often quickly dealt with as part of the top-down conflict management.
In 2008, JPNIN identified ethnic-based conflicts as particularly prominent in some urban areas. In response, a community mediation programme was introduced to address these tensions. As part of this initiative, the Rukun Tetangga (Neighbourhood Committee) was established to organise communities and support JPNIN’s efforts. The Rukun Tetangga was formalised through the Rukun Tetangga Act of 2012, providing a structured framework for community engagement. Through the Rukun Tetangga, community mediation has become a key mechanism for resolving disputes, with neighbourhood leaders receiving training in mediation techniques. Community mediation is developed by JPNIN as a strategy of peacebuilding at the community level ensuring that conflicts are well managed and prevented from escalating which may lead to hardened positions and polarisation of various groups.
Conflicts involving group identity are often deeply entrenched and perceived as non-negotiable, making their resolution particularly challenging. JPNIN’s objective is to foster a sense of community within the diverse environment that characterises Malaysian society. Its community mediation programme serves as a dispute resolution mechanism within neighbourhoods, aiming to maintain social cohesion, security, and unity.
Since the programme's inception, JPNIN has trained 571 community mediators, 27% of whom are women, across Malaysia. These mediators, that include both JPNIN officers and community leaders, act as informal third-party facilitators to address social issues and disputes within their localities. Unlike professional mediators recognised by legal institutions as part of alternative dispute resolution frameworks, JPNIN’s community mediators operate on a voluntary basis. Nonetheless, they are trained in a structured 20-step Community Mediation Process Course designed by JPNIN to equip them with the necessary skills.
As part of this ASEAN Women Peace Registry-Malaysia Research, roundtable discussions were conducted in four of Malaysia’s thirteen states. Between 2020 and 2024, these states collectively reported 45 conflict cases to JPNIN. The conflicts varied in nature, as illustrated in the accompanying Table 1. Reported mediation cases to JPNIN (2024).
In contrast to the JPNIN types of conflicts, the outcomes of the round table discussions and the key informant interviews highlight the nature of social conflicts that are more prominent among women in the communities. These conflicts include gender-based violence, family disputes, land issues, and socio-economic disparities, among others. The participants and informants involved in this research comprise JPNIN-trained community mediators, individuals who have become community mediators through experience, and a few professional mediators (including legal practitioners). These women mediators, both JPNIN-trained and non-JPNIN, align with the JPNIN’s definition of community mediators—they are volunteers who, most importantly, possess both access to and the ability to address social problems within their communities.
The case studies presented in this template focus on JPNIN-trained women who are actively engaged in community mediation. In contrast, the case studies included in the other templates (Sabah, Sarawak, Penang-Kedah reports) highlight women community leaders and professionals who are not part of the JPNIN programme.
Malaysian women leaders function in various capacities in the community- in the protection of victims of conflicts, monitoring the peace and conflict situation, advocacy, socialization of peace through education, social cohesion, facilitation of dialogue and talks, and service delivery of humanitarian aid. All these are part of peacebuilding activities.
The findings of this AWPR research reveal that, while women in Malaysia remain underrepresented in formal peace processes, they serve as active leaders in community mediation. Their contributions emphasise the potential of mediation as a grassroots peacebuilding tool. Although challenges persist, community mediation holds promise as a sustainable strategy for managing diversity and fostering unity within Malaysia’s pluralistic society.
