What is a Malay?
What is a Malay? Is it speaking Malay, performing prayers, wearing Islamic clothing, or just having the ‘Malay’ look?
There might be various interpretations of the term “Malay”: whether it is a racial identity or an ethno-religious concept, the interpretation is vast. To find common ground: the Federal Constitution of Malaysia, Article 160, defines a Malay person based on three criteria: (a) speaks the Malay language, (b) practices Malay customs, and (c) believes in Islam.
When breaking down the term “Malay-Muslim” as stipulated in the Constitution, none of these three components are associated with biological or genetic features. As such, “Malay-Muslim” as a framework is an identity that anybody could subscribe to. A Chinese Muslim convert could follow the Malay language and customs, believe in Islam, and speak Malay instead of Chinese. Does that not make him a Malay as stated in the Federal Constitution?
When a racial identity is conflated with a religious identity, any person who subscribes to Islam obtains the gateway to assimilate into a completely new racial identity, with exclusive rights granted under the law.
The main problem with the current definition of the Malay-Muslim identity:
1. The pluralism of being Malay
Malay, as a race, is not often a homogeneous term. The Malays, before colonialism, were a vast group of people who had their identity tied to the land they belonged to and the kingship to which they were bound as subjects. The variance in cultural practice, local dialects, and legal systems could be vast.
This regional diversity is clearly illustrated by the distinct Kelantanese dialect and the contrast of Adat Perpatih’s matrilineal traditions in Negeri Sembilan: even variations across regions create huge permutations in local dialects, legal system that showcased the historical mobility of the people across regions. Though most Malay population professed as Muslims before the advent of colonialism, variations in native regional culture is still a big part of their worldview and value system.
2. The Malay identity as the weaker link in the Malay-Muslim identity
The plurality of the Malays contributes to the “weaker link” of the racial identity within the Malay-Muslim construct. Being a Malay can be a diverse experience, but being a Muslim is a singular, homogeneous identity. For a party that champions Malay-Muslim rights, the rallying cry thus becomes the “defending of the ummah” over defending the Malays.
The question is, why is being a Muslim a homogeneous identity, despite having its nuances? Islamisation of the state
In the late 1960s to the 1970s, the wave of Islamic resurgence and the ‘dakwah movement’ created a political crisis for the ruling party, UMNO. To eliminate the various influences of Muslim groups, the state attempted to out-Islamise the Islamists.
When Islam is institutionalized and state-controlled, the state becomes the only voice and authority on what it is like to be a Malay-Muslim: there is only one singular way to practice Islam as defined and enforced by religious authorities and other religious control mechanisms.
This conception of what it is to be a Muslim becomes an unchallengeable, monolithic idea, such that any criticism or attempts to progress the discourse become self-censored ideas in a multicultural society.
Why calls for uniting the Malays will always fail
Chants of “Bersatu padulah bangsa Melayu” (be united, my fellow Malays) are heard over and over again, from Prime Ministers to Sultans who warn against the adverse effects of a Melayuthat is berpecah-belah (divided). The problem with chants of uniting the Malays is that there is no singular, agreed-upon concept of what being a Muslim is. The Ummah, on the other hand, becomes a much more convincing call to rally.
What’s next?
The problem with the Malay-Muslim identity is a tricky one. On one hand, it is hard to separate being a Muslim from being a Malay, though the tension might never subside. Elements of cultural practice adopted from Islam, such as clothing, family customs, and worldviews – have, after centuries of intertwining, made this a tricky question. In fact, a Malay person who lives in the West might not be able to shrug off the cultural identity of being a Malay, despite the freedom to separate their religious identity.
As a believer in freedom of choice, I believe we need to give people the choice to choose – the choice to become who they are. You could be a Malay-Muslim by your own choice; you could also be free to choose to be a Malay or just a Muslim. Though, this is a long way to go, is Malaysia ready for that conversation yet?
Esei oleh Wong Wei Han untuk Siri Wacana Islamisme
