Religion as soft power in Malaysia

Religion is a broad term that is associated with different meanings depending on the person defining the word. It often plays an important role in shaping the identity of certain peoples and states. While religion can be the basis for morality, and positive actions, it can also be used to justify questionable actions or to control people. In certain states, religion has a lot of influence both culturally, economically, and politically. If presented correctly, religion has the ability to influence what a person wants through the hope of a more fulfilling life. Therefore, the use of religion can be considered an example of soft power.

An example of a state in which religion plays a very big role is Malaysia. Religion has a huge impact on the culture of the country as well as on its domestic policies, which in turn affect its international actions. One of Malaysia’s unique characteristics lies in the presence of multiple religions that are able to coexist peacefully side-by-side in this country.

After spending three months working in Malaysia, it was easy for me to see the impact that religion has in this country. In the street one sees women who are wearing saris walking beside women wearing the hajib; there are statues of Ganesh being sold next to Buddhist statues; and there are the Hindu temples, Christian churches, and Moslem mosques that are located within a couple of feet from each other. However, despite the co-existence of religions in Malaysia, Islam has the biggest influence both culturally and politically.  There are several examples of this, such as the significant number of words in the Malay vocab, whose origins can be traced back to the Arabic language, which is the chosen language of the Islamic religion. Another example is the amount of public holidays in Malaysia that are based on religion, the majority of which are Islam oriented.

These influences are also present on a political scale. In the Malay constitution, which states that all Malaysian citizens are equal, freedom of religion is an important component. However, Islamic dominance can be seen through the benefits that the Muslims tend to receive in the economy, in social life and in politics. Bumiputera (a term referring to the indigenous people of Malaysia) receive special treatment from the government such as affirmative action in University admissions, discounts when purchasing vehicles as well as real estate. The interesting part is that these indigenous people, for the most part are Muslims. In fact, in daily context, Muslim and Malay are used interchangeably. The constitution also states that Malays must be Muslim, otherwise they are legally not considered Malay. Furthermore, it is possible to obtain these privileges if one converts to Islam. This means that the clause in the constitution which entitles Bumiputera to certain rights, really applies to Muslims.  

While I was in Malaysia, I met many people of many different religions. Focusing on Muslims, I met some who were devote Muslims, attending mosque five times a day, always wearing the traditional clothing and so on. However, as with all religions I also met Muslims who were not quite so serious about the religion. For example, Allah deems it unlawful for a Muslim women to have a husband that does not practice Islam. Therefore, the man must convert to Islam before being able to marry the Muslim women. One of my good friend’s parents were in this situation, where her mother was Muslim and her father converted to Muslim in order for them to be able to marry. After talking with her more about this subject it became clear that her father was not a devote practitioner of Islam. She told me that he did not object to converting to Islam for two reasons, one, to be able to marry his wife and two because being considered a Muslim gave him certain benefits.

After experiencing Malaysian culture first hand, the influence that Islam has in that country is obvious. It is evident that the common perception of Malaysia as a multicultural country supporting the beliefs of multiple religions is not quite correct. The culture and domestic policies are shaped by Islamic influences. The economic promotion of Islam as well as the favorable treatment of the Bumiputra make the Muslim religion very attractive and can potentially influence personal religious decision about whether or not to practice Islam. Furthermore, it could influence a person’s decision of whether or not to convert out of Islam, for once a Muslim converts to another religion they no longer fall under the Bumiputera category. The Muslim community exhibits soft power because it promotes its religion through economic and political actions that provide desirable benefits to those who are of that religion which in turn makes that religion a very attractive option.