Reflecting upon Malaysia’s sovereignty since 1957, this research dissects the kind of Malaysian’s that has been prescribed Chinese Malaysians through language policies. In Malaysia, a multi-ethnic country, there is a government policy for the official language: Bahasa Malaysia (the specific kind of Malay used in the country); this is intended to promote national integration. Yet this policy would also sow discord, particularly amongst the Chinese Malaysian community who felt their language and customs were being side-lined. This paper examines the evolution of Malaysia’s language policies through 3 major periods: the nation-building phase from independence to the 1970s, a period of equity and standardization during Malaysia's New Economic Policy (NEP) from 1970s to 1990s, and an era that started in the mid-1990s but is still ongoing characterized by the move towards more pluralism. These stages echo the manner in which the policies evolved as politics, economics and society changed over time reflecting efforts to accommodate national solidarity with ethnic complexity. The study demonstrates how these language-in-education policies have had major implications on Chinese Malaysian nationalism as a shift is noted from ethnocentrism to a more civic nationalism that the Government has sought to inculcate. The Chinese community initially identified itself through its ethnic language and culture but Bahasa Malaysia was increasingly visible, while English meant involvement in schools leading to a more encompassing nationality now cantered on citizenship and involvement in national life. The research also look at the function that have been played by Chinese-medium schools as important platforms of cultural preservation, but also sites of tension, manifestations of conflict between ethnic identity and national integration. This study shows that socio-linguistic change may result in the confluence of language, ethnicity and national identity from one perspective, while from another point of view; language policies may bring about further division between the various communities in Malaysia. It recognizes the necessity of an inclusive language politics which respects ethnic diversity, yet bolsters national identity.