The Role of Islam in Malaysian Political Practice Erica Miller
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The Fletcher School Online Journal for issues related to Southwest Asia and Islamic Civilization Fall 2004, Article 4 The Role of Islam in Malaysian Political Practice Erica Miller The historical, ethnic, religious, cultural, and travels by Muslim Arab sailors to the islands of political realities that fuse to inform the state of Southeast Asia around the 8th century. Islam is affairs in modern Malaysia make the country a believed to then have been brought to the port fascinating study in contrasts. Malaysia can be city of Malacca on the west coast of the Malay simultaneously characterized as democratic and Peninsula by Muslim Tamil Indian traders around authoritarian, Asian and Islamic, developed and the 14th century.2 These Indian bearers of Islam underdeveloped, and stable and tenuous. With a were Sunni Muslims who were greatly influenced population that is 60 percent Muslim, however, by Sufi mysticism. Subsequently, the fusion of Islam is the factor that most critically impacts Sunni and Sufi practices combined with Malaysian politics.1 Examining Malaysian indigenous Malay beliefs and customs—such as government and affairs of state, it becomes clear animism—allowing for the evolution of a unique that Islamic symbols and concepts permeate a form of Islam still practiced in Malaysia today.3 variety of aspects of political life, from its As author Fred R. von der Mehden writes, until historical and structural foundations, to its recent years, “extreme regional theological continuing political discourse and practices. With influences have been less significant in Malaysian the goal of better understanding Islam’s role in Islam, giving it a certain parochialism.”4 Malaysian political life, this essay will describe After its introduction, the influence of Islam the historical evolution and circumstances that grew. It became engrained in the political gave Islam its preeminent status in Malaysian dominion of Malacca in 1445, when a coup politics, and analyze the symbolic and substantive resulted in the installment of a Muslim ruler and manifestations of Islam in this context. This the beginning of the Malacca Sultanate. The description and analysis will make evident that Sultanate’s Islamic legacy to Malaysia was the religion plays a vital role in the politics of the longlasting, and its espousal and promotion of two primary Malay‐Muslim political parties, but Islam marks the start of the political entrenchment that this role is largely symbolic, due to the highly of Islam in Malaysian political life. As a pluralistic nature of Malaysian society. mechanism for increasing its allies and support, the Sultanate encouraged the rapid and peaceful By Way of Background: the Malay-Muslim conversion of its subjects and other Malay royal Connection families to Islam.5 When the anti‐Muslim In analyzing Islam in Malaysian politics Portuguese conquered Malacca in 1511, the today, it is helpful to provide some historical Sultanate was forced move to Johor on the background. Although there is disagreement as southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, prompting to the exact date of Islam’s appearance in the the further spread of Islam. The Dutch later region, scholars typically connect it to the first ousted the Portuguese from Malacca in 1641.6 © Al Nakhlah – The Fletcher School –Tufts University 160 Packard Avenue – Medford, MA 02155-7082 USA – Tel: +1.617.627.3700 2 Al Nakhlah Islam became even more integral to backlash that marks the inception of modern indigenous affairs of state with the arrival of the Malay nationalism and Muslim politics.10 This British. The English East India Company arrived backlash can be traced in part to strong feelings of on the island of Penang in northwest peninsular economic insecurity among Malay‐Muslims with Malaysia in 1786, and over the next 100 years respect to the Chinese and Indian worker and expanded its sphere of influence throughout the entrepreneurial populations, as well as to the peninsula as a means of countering Dutch power.7 belief that Malays, as Bumiputras (“sons of the In 1874, the British signed the Pangkor soil”), should be provided certain “safeguards” Engagement with the Muslim Sultan of Perak, and “special privileges.”11 which allowed for the presence of a British The emergence of Muslim politics in “resident” in the royal court, and the furthering of Malaysia is therefore tied to the issue of Malay British influence. This resident advisor could nationalism that arose at this time, and to the advise on all matters except those involving Islam deep and indelible connection between Malay and Malay customs, which would remain the identity and Islam. Indeed, Islam, along with exclusive domain of the Bahasa Malayu (the Malay language), has been The emergence of Sultan. Eventually there called the chief component of Malay identity.12 Muslim politics in were British residents in all The Malay nationalist movement served to move Malay Sultanates.8 In Islamic issues to a central role in Malaysian Malaysia is therefore implementing this system, political life and in 1946 produced a powerful, tied to the issue of the British fostered the organized political force that remains a key player Malay nationalism … growth of a Malay‐Muslim in current Malaysian politics: the United Malays and to the deep and political elite. As British National Organization (UMNO).13 indelible connection influence spread, Islam was The Malay elite that led the UMNO between Malay identity one of the only areas over successfully challenged the ill‐fated British‐ which the Sultans had any supported Malay Union. This resulted in the and Islam. Indeed, practical control, and they decision of the British to establish the Federation Islam, along with thus sought to retain and of Malaya in 1948, the Constitution of which – Bahasa Malayu (the develop this domain of because it was drawn up exclusively by the Malay language), has influence. Many of the UMNO, the Sultans, and the British – fully been called the chief descendants of these same protected the special rights of Malays.14 Despite Sultans became the Malay‐ inter‐ethnic tensions, the UMNO and the Malayan component of Malay Muslim political elite Chinese Association (MCA) then forged a identity. following independence. temporary alliance in 1952 as a quid pro quo which The British furthermore ensured victory for both parties. This Alliance created schools of colonial administration, whose was made permanent in 1953, and expanded to graduates would one day also contribute to this include the Malayan Indian Congress (MIC) in elite class.9 1954, but remained in the control of the UMNO.15 Once the British began to liquidate their In expectation of national independence, the first colonial empire at the turn of the 20th century, national elections were held in 1955 with the they envisioned for Malaya, as it was then known, Alliance winning 51 of 52 seats.16 a system of parliamentary democracy, governed Following the elections, the leadership of jointly by a “Malay Union,” and comprised of each Alliance party negotiated for four‐months representatives from each of the major ethnic over the creation of a national constitution. The groups: the Muslim Malay majority, the Chinese, result was a compromise known as the “ethnic and the Indians. The British wished thereby to bargain,” that enshrined Islam as the national decrease the “power” of the Sultans and allow religion, in return for guarantees for the rights of non‐Malay minorities the rights of citizenship. other groups in Malaysia. The bargain is manifest Instead, this move prompted an abrupt Malay in Article 3(1), which stipulates that “Islam is the © Al Nakhlah – The Fletcher School –Tufts University Fall 2004, Article 4 3 religion of the Federation; but other religions may majority of the Parlimen (Parliament) necessary to be practiced in peace and harmony in any part of change the Constitution if it so desired.21 the Federation.” In turn, Articles 8 (1) and 8 (2) However, such changes would not be automatic reassure the non‐Malay communities that “[a]ll in spite of this technical majority—it is vital to persons are equal before the law and entitled to recognize, that Malaysian politics do not occur in the equal protection of the law”; and that “…there an Islamic vacuum, absent any other shall be no discrimination against citizens on the considerations or influences. Despite the ground only of religion, race, descent, or place of unparalleled hegemony of the UMNO in the BN birth.”17 The Constitution provides citizenship and of the BN in Malaysian politics, the power of and naturalization rights for non‐Malays, but these groups is nonetheless checked by the Article 12 (2) also makes it “lawful for the multiple ethnic and religious groups and interests Federation or a State to establish or maintain . represented within the BN. Islamic symbols and Islamic institutions or provide or assist in issues do indeed play an important role in providing instruction in the religion of Islam and Malaysian politics, but they remain subordinate incur such expenditure as may be necessary for to, and linked with, the broader role of politics in the purpose.” 18 Finally, there are state‐run syariah a highly pluralistic society where Malays, who are (the Malay for sharia, or Islamic law) courts that predominantly Muslim, comprise 58 percent of enforce personal and family laws for Muslims the total population; the only.19 Chinese 24 percent; and the Islamic symbols and Experts on Malaysia have argued that the Indians, 8 percent.22 issues do indeed play establishment of Islam as the official state religion Indeed, UMNO’s political an important role in was not intended to produce a theocracy, but success can be attributed in rather was included at the insistence of the part to its recognition and Malaysian politics, but UMNO as a means of symbolically giving the acceptance of these ethnic they remain Constitution the external features of an Islamic considerations, and to its subordinate to, and state.20 Thus, the Constitution further built upon successful pursuit of linked with, the broader the centuries‐old tradition of fusing Islam with consociational democracy, 23 role of politics in a the state.