Ubuntu and Madani in Dialogue: Ethical Encounters, Lived Experience, and the Moral Realities of Malaysia–Africa Relations

Abstract

Malaysia’s relations with Africa have conventionally been framed through the discourse of South–South cooperation, Bandung-era solidarities, and postcolonial affinity. However, the lived experiences of Africans in Malaysia—particularly among Nigerian and Sudanese communities—reveal a more complex and ethically charged reality. Drawing on documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews conducted between February 2023 and November 2025, this article examines how African migrants interpret Malaysia’s diplomatic identity through everyday encounters with immigration authorities, law enforcement agencies, educational institutions, and Malaysian society at large. While many participants reported experiences shaped by racialised perceptions, administrative inconsistency, and episodic prejudice, others highlighted forms of safety, hospitality, and religious solidarity. Situating these narratives within the Ubuntu–Madani Partnership Framework (UMPF), this article argues that meaningful Malaysia–Africa relations must extend beyond rhetorical solidarity to encompass institutional fairness and ethically grounded relational practices. The findings illuminate both the tensions and the ethical potential embedded in Malaysia’s aspiration to position itself as a moral actor within the Global South.