Malaysia: State and Civil Society in Transition

Vidhu Verma tracks two simultaneous processes in Malaysia: the increasing aspirations for democratic governance, and the emergence of the Islamic party as a major force in Malaysian politics. Verma argues that rapid and often forced modernization and development have created severe tensions in contemporary Malaysia, providing Islamist parties with the space to create a political-cultural identity for the Malays. Tracing the historical and political dynamics underlying nearly twenty years of authoritarian rule, she addresses five central issues: secular nationalism, Islam, citizenship, democracy, and human rights. She demonstrates that the present Islamic resurgence has so far expanded the frontiers of civil society in the country, but cautions that neither democracy nor civil liberties will be sustainable if the forces of civil society allow repression of individual rights in the name of religious conformity and moral conduct.