The word "malay" is correct and usable in written English
It is generally used to refer to someone or something from the Malay Peninsula, the Malay Archipelago, or the related Malay language or culture. For example, "Local celebrations usually include traditional Malay dances."
Anwar is a moderate Muslim who appeals across the ethnic groups in Malaysia and comes from the majority Malay community that holds political power.
Ironically, in light of the focus on the personal, this high-stakes election will ultimately boil down to how the 59,000 voters – largely Malay – in Permatang Pauh perceive Anwar Ibrahim, the man rather than his message.
Likewise, UMNO hardliners might argue that what is needed now is to bolster support among its Malay core by replacing Mr Najib with a less bashful Malay supremacist.
Mr Mahathir's cultivation of Perkasa should increase Malay support for UMNO, which could be crucial.
Calculating the correct share is complicated by "Ali Baba" companies, in which Malay equity holders subcontract the work to Chinese firms.It is too much to expect Mr Najib to demolish his father's policy in one go.
Archaic working practices, which it says the union refused to change sufficiently, are a big problem.In this section Boom and bust at sea Catering for suppliers' strikes Icahn's latest prey In search of the ideal employer The Malay way of business change Winning the war on spam Why wait for WiMax?
The governing coalition, the Malay-dominated Barisan Nasional (BN), has never lost a federal election, while proof that it was more of a democracy than neighbouring Singapore was to be found in opposition victories at a state level.
The government's flirtation and courting of such extremist elements represents a "destructive path", according to Ibrahim: "The idea that you can be successful in a country as diverse as Malaysia by marginalising more than 35% of our non-Malay population is absurd.
One of its members is a conservative Islamist party, appealing to the ethnic-Malay, Muslim majority; another represents mainly the ethnic-Chinese minority; Mr Anwar himself heads a multiracial, secular party.
Mr Najib has blamed Barisan's losses on a "Chinese tsunami", encouraging disgraceful anti-Chinese headlines in the Malay-language press.Casting the election in such racial terms is neither wise nor accurate.
And you will probably wait in vain to see a Chinese-Malay couple: they are a rarity, involving compulsory religious education for the non-Muslim partner.
