Navigating Racial Slurs: Pragmatic Insights from Malaysian Political Tweets

Malaysia, as a multicultural nation after its independence in 1957 and the formation of Malaysia in 1963, is still threatened by racial tensions due to the lack of cultural awareness. The lack of cultural awareness and pragmatics competence in intercultural communication is manifested in the usage of racial slurs. As racial slurs are commonly used to insult other races, usage of such words endorses racism and racial discrimination, which results in social and racial disharmony. The study used purposive sampling to select fifteen postings containing racial slurs using a qualitative research design with a content analysis method. The study analysed the pragmatics behind the usage of racial slurs in Malaysian political tweets. The findings show that although not all racial slurs are categorised as weaponised, the results indicate that Malaysians have the opportunity to select their language conscientiously, choosing neutral alternatives or refraining from using slurs entirely to show respect for other races. This holds significant importance for the diverse society of Malaysia, where the preservation of social and racial harmony should not be put at risk.