Islam And Malay Nationalism PDF Download

In the 30 years since independence, Islam has become increasingly prominent in the public domain of Malaysia, which is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious federation. This may be attributed to the influence of a worldwide Islamic revival and the consequent politicization of Islam. The race for Malay political parties to out-Islamicise led to the then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's declaration that Malaysia was already an Islamic state. This push towards increased Islamicization at the governmental level alienates the non-Malays and betrays the government's commitment to multi-culturalism and multi-ethnicity as part of the constitutional bargain. With Islam increasingly becoming a major symbol of Malay-ness, the ethnic division is widened by religious divide between Muslims and non-Muslims, creating a distinct, acute awareness of the 'Other'. This article examines Malaysia's constitutional history, the inter-communal bargaining during the drafting of the independence Federal Constitution and the scope of Islam as the religion of the Federation as background to the legal and poltiical developments arising from Malay nationalism (Ketuanan Melayu) and demands for Islamic supremacy. This article argues that the aggressive push for Malay and Islamic supremacy constitutes a betrayal of the constitutional bargain and threatens the rights of minority communities.