Democracy and Islam in Malaysia Literature Review

In the State of Kelantan, the ideal of having the governing but this is inadequate. The PAS-led

Firstly, the realities that are related to external factors, from outside the Party, and secondly to internal factors, from within the Party and the PAS-led government themselves. In the former, one witnessed the role of This was especially evident through its Federal Development

Department that was established in the State, in interrupting the endeavors undertaken by the PAS-led government. In the latter, PAS is suffering from at least five realities, that is, leadership identity crisis, lack of practical experience and expertise, the existence of unmotivated civil servants, absence of either a blueprint or a proper operational guideline and its refusal to welcome help from other sympathized Islamic movements. Consequently, Beside these shortcomings, the Kelantanese

have certainly proven to be at least an attempt to determine their own lifestyles according to their character which culminates in the existence of the beauty of Islam

already partly felt in the State, with relatively more peacefulness, tranquility and friendly atmosphere (ibid., 235-236).

In Ufen's study, Malaysia's electoral authoritarian system has been increasingly coming under increasing pressure. The indicators of this have been the metamorphosis of the opposition forces since

1998. Particularly, the results of the 2008 parliamentary elections indicated this.

In the years 1957 until 1998, political party opposition in Malaysia was fragmented. The initial transformation of the political parties in the radical opposition began at the height of the 1997 Asian financial crisis. This came after a major conflict within the ruling United Malays

National Party in 1998. However, the regime was able to weaken the opposition, resulting in its poor performance in the 2004 elections.

Afterwards, in a second transformation that has continued until the present This article argues that the increase in the strength and cohesion of political party opposition since 1998 has been caused mainly by five combined factors. These include the Party (Parti Islam SeMalaysia). Consequently it has become conceivable that the country of Malaysia will incrementally democratize itself in a protracted transition.Although the 1999 and 2008 elections were not foundational, they have been transitional. They may not have inaugurated a new democratic regime,

The assertiveness of an Islamic ethos in parts of the world since the time of the 1970s was witnessed in many countries (especially those with largly Muslim populations. Malaysia is not exceptional in this regard. The religion is becoming more and more dominant in Malaysian society. Hussain Mutalib's study assesses the Islamisation process in Malaysia, with reference to two key issues. Firstly, he considers whether or not the contemporary Islamic developments there signaled the beginnings, if not the inevitable path of Malaysia becoming an Islamic state. Second, the feasibility and relevance of such a political option for the governing of Malaysia is examined (Mutalib 1993, 17).

Conclusion

To sum up, the jury is out as to whether or not Islam will have a chance to integrate itself into Malaysian society. Islam is casting a larger and larger footprint in Malaysian society and is infiltrating government organizations in a possible unrecoverable manner. Unfortunately, political Islam may be the final stop along this political journey.

References

Aziz, Azmi and a.B. Shamsul. "The religious, the plural, the secular and the modern: a brief critical survey on Islam in Malaysia." Inter-Asia Cultural Studies 5 (2004): 341-356.

Harding, Andrew. "The Keris, the Crescent and the Blind Goddess: The State, Islam and the Constitution in Malaysia." Singapore Journal of International & Comparative Law 154

Singapore Journal of International 6 (2002): 154 -- 180.

Mabry, Tristan James. "Modernization, nationalism and Islam: an examination of Ernest Gellner writings on Muslim society s with reference to Indonesia and Malaysia." Ethnic and Racial

Studies Volume 21 (1998): 64-88.

Mutalib, Hussain. Islam in Malaysia: from revivalism to Islamic State?. Kent Ridge, Singapore:

Singapore Univ. Press, 1993. (accessed February 27, 2012).

Salleh, Muhammad Syukryi. "Establishing an Islamic State: Ideals and Realities in the State of Kelantan, Malaysia." Southeast Asian Studies 2 (1999): 235-255.

Samad, Abdus. "Performance of interest-free islamic banks vis-a-vis interest-based conventional

Banks of Bahrain." IIUM.....