The paper argues that in Malaysia, the “principle of social allocation??? is the fundamental barrier to national unity, national integration and the making of a Malaysian nation. Through this principle of social allocation, Malaysians are categorised into Malays or Non- Malays, and accorded Bumiputera-Indigenous Status, or Non-Bumiputera-Immigrant status. The ideology of Bumiputeraism and Non-Bumiputeraism assigns Malays/Bumiputeras and Non-Malays/Non-Bumiputeras into positions of unequal access, ownership and control over knowledge, power, resources and space. Publication: 4th International Malaysian Studies Conference; 3-5 August 2004, Universiti Kebangsaan, Malaysia, Bangi. Author: Ong, Puay Liu. [Download]