Penghayatan kontrak sosial dalam perlembagaan persekutuan berdasarkan pengetahuan belia di Malaysia

Following the formation of the new Malaysian government post GE 14, the pattern of race relations and interactions has begun to change. This is due to frequent debate over various sensitive issues in pursuit of equal rights, often without reference to the foundational agreement embedded in the social contract when the nation was formed as well as provisions outlined in the Federal constitution. Accordingly, this study aims to examine the level of appreciation of the social contract among Malaysian youth by assessing their knowledge and understanding. Using a quantitative approach, a total of 2,366 questionnaires were collected. The findings from mean analysis indicates that Malaysian youth possess a moderate level of knowledge and understanding regarding social contracts. Regression analysis further shows that knowledge of the Federal Constitution, the status of the Malay language and the role of the royal institution exert a significant influence on youth’s appreciation of social contract. Meanwhile, demographic factors were also found to influence youth’s appreciation of the social contract. Thus, this study offers valuable insight into the factors that still contribute to conflict in Malaysia, particularly those involving sensitive elements of the social contracts. Furthermore, this study provides guidance to stakeholders particularly the Malaysian government in safeguarding the core elements of the social contract: the position of Islam as the religion of the Federation, Malay as the official language, the special rights of the Malays and Bumiputeras, and the sovereignty of the Malay rulers.