Overall Reaction to the Islamisation Phenomenon

Abstract

While public discussion about the Islamisation Phenomenon is quite limited, there are a few public critics, and this chapter provides a sample of the comments they have made in the mainstream media. It then discusses the data gathered through in-depth interviews with a sample of 100 professionals on their overall response to the Islamisation Phenomenon, first providing a summary assessment of the response of this group, and then focussing on the detailed feedback from the majority-Malay population.The key findings are that:

• 88% of all participants disapprove of what is happening in the Islamisation space.

• 82% of the Malay (Muslim) participants disapprove.

• Of the 18% of the Malays who approved, 75% did so with qualifications.

• Within the Malay participants, 85% of males disapprove, and 77% of females disapprove. The minority that approve are evenly distributed between males and females.

• 100% of the non-Muslim participants disapprove.

Key themes from the discussions with the Malays were: Intrusion by the government; intolerance within the Malay community; the politicization of Islam; and Arabisation. Key themes from the discussions with non-Muslims were: concern for the future for their children; separation of the races; erosion of religious freedoms; concern that Malaysia would end up like a Middle East country; concern about the economy if Malaysia became too conservatively Islamic; and concern that moderate Malays were pressured towards conservatism. The chapter concludes with feedback on the impact of the Islamisation Phenomenon on public education, a very significant issue about which almost all participants felt strongly.