Masuk Melayu Menegosiasikan Islam dan Kemelayuan di Malaysia

Abstract

This paper elaborates the construction of religious identity (Islam) and ethnicity (Malay)
through ideological concept „Masuk Melayu‟ (lit. „becoming Malay‟) in Malaysia. The
intertwined religion and ethnicity bring about political notion and practice which combine both
as an ideology of political culture in Malaysia. The ideology has been used as a parameter to
manage political and societal life with the multicultural characteristic in Malaysia. It also
demonstrates that the construction of religious identity and ethnicity in Malaysia, as well as
other Southeast Asia countries, generally might not be separated from colonialism discourse
occurred in the past. Colonialism had inherited socio-cultural and political systems by which,
then, become the foundation of governmental bureaucracy activity and the establishment of a
political culture of Southeast Asia societies until today. The postcolonial government in
Malaysia, however, has been continuing such construction of identity by adding contextual
political meaning and practice innovatively to maintain and sustain their political power.
Masuk Melayu is an arena for negotiating political power by injecting religious identity of
Islam as a powerful political axis in Malaysia.