Malaysian Malaysia and Algerian Algeria

Malaysia and Algeria are two multi-ethnic nations. Both got independence from Europeans and attained their present boundaries in the 1960s. Both are dominated by a majority ethnic group that has controlled the state since then. As I was reading about Algeria what stuck me was the similarity of slogans of minorities in both countries. In Malaysia in 1960s, Lee Kwan Yew (before Singapore was expelled from Malaysia) called for a 'Malaysian Malaysia', not a Malay Malaysia or Chinese Malaysia or Indian Malaysia. Lately, opposition alliance has picked up this theme and called for changes in the Malaysian state (see Lee Kuan Yew's 'Malaysia for Malaysians'). In Algeria, minorities, mainly Berbers, called for Algerie algerienne (an Algerian Algeria) (see Religion, Ethnicity and State Formation in Algeria). They resisted Arabization of Algeria after independence.

Of course, these countries are dissimilar. For one, minorities in Malaysia are much more distinct and numerous as compared to Algeria. Possibly, because of that, discrimination in Malaysia has been incorporated in the legal regime, while in Algeria it is much more general and subtle. In Malaysia, minorities are acknowledged and then discriminated. In Algeria, Berbers are rarely acknowledged as a separate ethnic community. There are many reasons for this situation in Algeria. First, many Berber do not know or see themselves as separate from their Arab neighbors because inter-marriage is quite common and many Berbers have been Islamized and Arabized. Second, many Algerians see talk of Berber rights as attempts by outside powers to divide the nation, just as French tried to do (and failed) during the War of Independence. 

Recently, both countries have tried to accommodate some of the minorities demands. Malaysia has decreased preferences for Malays or Bhumiputras while Algeria has has recognized Tamazight (Berber language) as national language.

The question from our frame of reference is whether the ethnic identity (Malay/Arab) is the main force behind the domination of majority or is it Islam?