KUALA LUMPUR (July 17): Malaysians have emerged as one of the top three nationalities who consider themselves “real nationals” of the country but have one of the least positive views on immigrants, a study found.

“While self-perception of themselves as being real Malaysian is high, Malaysians tend to be less positive towards other people around them. They show much less positive views of naturalized citizens, native-born children of immigrants, lifelong immigrants who don’t become citizens and illegal immigrants who have lived here most of their lives,” Arun Menon, managing director of Ipsos Malaysia, said in a press release today.

A survey by global market research company Ipsos found 92% of Malaysians who were surveyed consider themselves “real” Malaysians.

The study was conducted in 27 countries on inclusiveness and the acceptance of social and cultural diversity.

“Malaysians place the country of origin and being born in Malaysia as being more important than any other factor, in order to be identified as a “real” Malaysian. This is clearly seen with the big percentage difference in perception of who they see as “real” nationals, when comparing native-born children of immigrants with children of expatriates,” Menon added.

Legal immigrants who have lived in Malaysia most of their life but have not become a citizen, are least likely to be considered as “real” nationals with only 15% of Malaysians having this view, whereas the average global percentage is 31%.

Illegal immigrants who have lived in the country most of their lives are least likely to be considered as “real” nationals in Malaysia and Japan, with merely 6% of the respondents disagreeing with that view.

The study also found that Malaysia is among six countries (Serbia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, China and Japan) where nationals believe children of expatriates are more likely to be seen as “real” nationals, than native-born children of immigrants.

Among Malaysians who were surveyed, 74% believe someone born and raised abroad by parents from their own country are “real” nationals, while only 36% of Malaysians believe someone born and raised in the country but whose parents migrated from another country, are “real” nationals.

Meanwhile, 28% of Malaysians consider naturalized citizens who hold a job as “real” nationals, while only 12% consider those who are jobless “real”.

Fluency in Bahasa Malaysia is considered very important to Malaysians for a person to be regarded as a “real” national.

Naturalized citizens who are fluent in Bahasa Malaysia were identified as “real” nationals by 33% of Malaysians, while not being fluent in the local language gave Malaysians a significantly lower perception (6%) of being a “real” national.

The study also noted almost half of Malaysians (43%) think someone with extreme political views is not a “real” national and a majority in Malaysia consider that a felon is not a “real” national of their country.

Malaysians also values veterans, with 86% of Malaysians stating someone who has served in the armed forces is a “real” national.

Menon concluded the data indicates Malaysians do not take their citizenship lightly.

“They want immigrants to work hard and there should be no short-cuts to be a real Malaysian, whether by birth right or for mere convenience,” he added.