Malaysia, Indonesia vital for future of democracy in Muslim world, says academic

 

Turkish-American academic Ahmet T Kuru said the major difference between Malaysia and Indonesia is the relationship between Islam and the state in the two countries.

PETALING JAYA: A Turkish-American academic said Malaysia and Indonesia are two important countries for the future of democracy in the Muslim world.

In an opinion piece published by Kompas, an Indonesian daily, Ahmet T Kuru said he came to the conclusion based on his visits and study of the two countries in the last four years.

“Many other Muslim-majority countries are ruled by monarchs, military leaders or other dictators, and the number of electoral democracies in the Muslim world is very limited,” he wrote.

The political scientist, who has been studying Islam and democracy for two decades, said democracy was currently facing a “global crisis”, including in the US, his home country, where president Joe Biden’s unconditional support for Israel’s bombing of Gaza has made his re-election more difficult.

Biden’s support for Tel Aviv has also increased the chances of Donald Trump’s election this November, Kuru, the director of Islamic and Arabic studies at San Diego State University, said.

And under such difficult circumstances in the Muslim world and globally, protecting democracy in Indonesia, which held an election two months ago,  appears to be crucial.

“Protecting Indonesian democracy is important to promote equal citizenship and human rights in the Muslim world and worldwide,” he said.

Kuru noted that the major difference between Malaysia and Indonesia is the relationship between Islam and the state in the two countries.

Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, has had two major non-governmental Islamic movements, namely Nahdlatul Ulama,(NU), and Muhammadiyyah, each having tens of millions of followers.

“This has created diversity and decentralisation in Indonesia,” he said.

In contrast, he said, the Islam-state relations are “much more centralised and formalistic” in Malaysia.

“There are no non-governmental Islamic movements comparable to NU or Muhammadiyah,” he said.

“The ulama are mostly official partners of the state in governance.” - FMT