Enabling Extremism: Malay Women, Jihad for Malay(sia) Weapons of the Weak: Malay Women at the Forefront of Malay Interest Movements
Dina S. Zaman IMAN Research
Cite: Zaman, D. (2021) Enabling Extremism: Malay Women, Jihad For Malay(Sia) Weapons Of The Weak: Malay Women At The Forefront Of Malay Interest Movements – IMAN Research
Keywords: Malay, Women, Jihad, Extremism
Abstract:
In a previous brief, I wrote and discussed about how Malay-Muslim women were increasingly being socialised into a hardline brand of Islam. They were mainly middle to upper middle income professionals, who viewed themselves as Muslims first, more so than Malay-Malaysian. While it is undeniable that we have had Malay-Muslim women joining militant activities and groups, most of the women we observed are God observant, and cannot be perceived as extremists.
In this brief, I will discuss about how another segment of Malay-Muslim women of the professional class are leaning towards a right-wing narrative and how they are pushing for a far-right conservative agenda nationally. Who are they? They share the same Islamic sentiments as the women in the earlier brief. and they are bold, loud, action oriented and visible. This particular group of women are influential and able to activate action.
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Vol 4 No 2 (2021), International Journal of Interreligious & Intercultural Studies
The Roots of 21st Century Malay Anger: When Young Men and Women Come to the Fore
Dina S. Zaman IMAN Research
Cite: Zaman, D. (2021). The roots of 21st century Malay anger: When young men and women come to the fore. International Journal of Interreligious and Intercultural Studies, 4(2), 66-74. https://doi.org/10.32795/ijiis.vol4.iss2.2002.2225
Keywords: Malay, far right movement, nationalism
Abstract: This article seeks to explain briefly to the reader about far-right nationalist movements in Malaysia. While this is not a recent occurrence, it spiked during the time of Pakatan Harapan, the Opposition bloc that won the 13th Malaysia General Elections. Seeing non Malay/Muslim faces in the new government frightened many, even those who were against the former Barisan Nasional government. The paper is based on my current research on Malay youth identity of both genders, who are pushing the Malay narrative to the fore, as they demand their rights as Malays; Covid 19 has shown that economic opportunities are getting more scarce. The people I am studying and have spoken to feel that they have low social capital, and their uneasiness at seeing minority communities thrive in Malaysia. What is causing this fear? This article posits economic reasons.
A Book Review by Dina Surani Zaman
Islam in Malaysia: an entwined history
by Khairudin Aljunied, New York, Oxford University Press, 2019, ix + 326 pp., £64 (hardback), ISBN 9780190925192
Cite: Dina Surani Zaman (2021) Islam in Malaysia: an entwined history, The Round Table, 110:5, 629-631, DOI: 10.1080/00358533.2021.1984094
