Islam has been a defining factor in the Malay identity for centuries. However, the politics of Islam have vastly changed over the years, with institutionalized versions of the religion gaining prominence in recent times. This shift has not only influenced the religious landscape of Malaysia but has also impacted the socio-political and cultural fabric of the Malay community. In this OpEd, we explore the concept of politicized institutional Islam and its impact on the changing Malay identity.
Over the past four decades, the balance between custom (adat) and Islam in the Malay persona has significantly shifted. Today, politicized and institutionalized Islam is pushing Malay culture towards a form of socio-political compliance on a scale never before seen before.
This shift can be seen in the banning of historical arts such as May Yong and wayang kulit due to their Hindu-Animistic influence in some public spaces in Kelantan. Similarly, the reintroduction of strict dress codes for public buildings and the warning that international celebrities who cross dress will be banned from performing in Malaysia are indicators of the gradual shift towards a politicized-institutionalized Islamic value system.
As a result, the way Malays behave socially, their body language, the way they greet others, especially the opposite sex, dress codes, and even language have all changed. The Malay archetype has shifted from being “a Malay who is a Muslim” to a “Muslim who is a Malay.” This is best understood through the semantics of the Malay language, whereby Malay greetings and phrases have been replaced with Arabic greetings and phrases that bring in Islamic rather than Malay connotations.
Society has become more conservative over the last few decades, with conformity and compliance being highly valued in Malay culture. Malays who don’t follow the rituals and dress codes are ostracized from the community. For instance, in Selangor, not attending Friday prayers may lead to an RM 1,000 fine or six months in jail.
Being a Muslim in Malay culture nowadays seems to hinge on dress, following rituals, and timetables in public. This is strongly supported and reinforced by the Federal, state, and local governments, where politically institutionalized Islam has thrown out secularism within the government.
Consequently, the politicized institutional Islam has radically changed Malay cultural traits over generations. Malays were once a very inclusive people who welcomed inclusion and assimilation, but the values of today encourage the suspicion and separation of Malays from other groups who are different from them, isolating Malays socially.
There have been undercurrents of hate and institutionalized hostility towards non-Malays and members of fringe communities like the LBGTQ. These narratives are fanned by certain political quarters, who use them to their advantage, creating a one-dimensional society.
Despite mass compliance, some Malays have reservations about the way Malay culture is going; they must hide their reservations for fear of being branded “anti-Malay,” “anti-Islam,” or a “liberal.” However, force and coercion prevent any discussion about where Malay society should go.
In conclusion, Malay culture is evolving into an “Arabism-Islamic” archetype that “virtue signals” one’s values to the rest of the community. Malays have lost their passion for life, colour, artistic creativity, and empathy for others, which used to make them one of the most generous and friendly cultures globally. These changes have occurred in the need for political expediency to keep a small group in power, and there is no course of diversity in sight, even in the new government.
