CAUGHT ON VIDEO: THE ERECTION OF AN ISLAMIC STATE & ISLAMISTS IN MALAYSIA

Islamism, referring to a political ideology that valorizes the erection of an Islamic state as the ultimate goal of the Islamic struggle, emerged in Malaysia since the 1960s.

The onset of Islamic resurgence in the 1970s injected vigor into Islamist initiatives, which by the 1980s had been adopted by the Malaysian state.

Since the adoption of Islamization as an official policy during the Mahathir administration, Islamists of variegated persuasions have participated in the country’s political process in numerous ways, whether in government, in opposition or in civil society.

Despite persistent attempts by the state at homogenizing Islam in both faith and practice, the Islamist spectrum in Malaysia continues to exhibit great diversity, each segment trying in various ways to influence the state.

For the majority of Malaysians, there is a lot of confusion about what these groups believe and what their ideologies are.

In this video, Prof Ahmad Fauzi explains in detail the various Islamists found in Malaysia and what they stand for. He sounds the alarm that some of these groups hold intolerant views and views that come in conflict with a mutli-racial and multi-religious Malaysia.

Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid is Professor of Political Science at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Penang, Malaysia. In 2008-09 and 2015-16, he held Visiting Fellowships with the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), and the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore, respectively. Trained as a political scientist and political economist at the universities of Oxford, Leeds and Newcastle, UK. In May 2017, Ahmad Fauzi represented Malaysia at the Russia – Islamic World Strategic Meeting held in Grozny, Chechen Republic, Russian Federation.