National unity in multi-ethnic Malaysia: A critical discourse analysis of Tun Dr. Mahathir’s political speeches

Abstract

This paper examines the discourse of a former Prime Minister (PM), Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, in order to study the ways Tun Dr. Mahathir (henceforth TDM) constructed national unity in multi-ethnic Malaysia through his public discourses over the years as a Statesman. This paper gives particular emphasis to issues in national unity. A Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) will be used to analyze the spoken and written public discourses of TDM that were published in newspapers and books. The findings reveal that one of the goals of TDM‘s discourses was to create a sense of oneness and a sense of nationhood among the various ethnic groups in the country