Malaysia’s long term vision remains Mr. Mahathir Mohamed’s Vision 2020. This vision sets out nine challenges that Malaysia must overcome to became a fully developed nation in “our own” mould. This vision sets out national unity as the number one priority.
The first of these is the challenges of establishing a united Malaysian nation with a sense of common and shared destiny. This must be a nation at peace with itself, territorially and ethnically integrated, living in harmony and full and fair partnership, made up of one ‘Bangsa Malaysia’ with political loyalty and dedication to the nation.
I wonder what would Mr. Mahathir Mohamed think of this survey findings.
92% of young Muslims are happy with their lives
70% want the Quran to replace the Federal Constitution of Malaysia (my emphasis)
93% trust their parents and feel that they care for them
71% believe that a good democracy needs opposition parties
66% have not registered as voters
36% do not always fast during Ramadan, 31% do not always pray five times a day
80% view themselves first and foremost as Muslims, 15% as Malaysian citizens (my emphasis)
73% reject polygamy
91% do not approve of pre-marital sex
Those are just some highlights from Muslim Youth Survey Malaysia 2010. With inter-ethnic and inter-religious distrust on the rise, will Malaysia ever achieve Mahathir Mohamed’s Vision 2020 or will things change fundamentally in the future, away from Malaysia’s present hybrid secular state?
Nationalism has its own problems, but hardly surprising to see Muslims identify with their faith before their country. And some Australians actually believe Muslims will assimilate, never happen, hostile ethnic enclaves is all that ill-thought immigration will achieve.
Aside from inserting the Koran into the constitution and the problems that would entail for the large minority, most answers were quite positive.
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A huge amount of sometimes seemingly contradictary responses in this survey. But a clear message seems to be that for the 1060 Malay muslims surveyed their religion plays a defining role in their lives and outlook whereas they are barely engaged in politics at all (75% little or not interested, 86% don’t vote).
It seems that 86% are waiting for a strong man to bring order to the country, which is hardly an endorsement of democratic values. And disturbingly 43% believe that “Suicide bombers are needed to defend Islam” and nearly 40% do not believe that “Terrorism gives Islam a bad name”, again beliefs which hardly support democratic values.
These do not seem to be values that will help in the drive to build a “developed nation” as envisaged by Vision 2020.
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Hi Pete,
Yes, it is indeed worrying.
This is the outcome of 30 plus years of politicising Islam.
In the subconscious mind of most Muslims is the understanding that Islam and by extension its adherents are “better” or “superior” to others.
What is heartening however, is the conscious recognition by some Muslims (who find their expression in various ways including in the Islamic party – PAS), that this is a very dangerous trend.
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Greg
Perhaps you should have added that PAS, a major partner in the Pakatan Rakyat, is the cause of politicising of Islam in Malaysia. They brought the radical islam into politics.
BTW, PAS stands for the Islamic Party of Malaysia. And they believe in the Wahhabi principles of Islam, the very same brand of Islam that a certain Osama B Laden believed in passionately.
In fact, the de facto leader of PAS, Nik Aziz has gone on the record of defending Osama many a times. In fact he did that even after Osama was killed, a fact that PR-supporting alternative media did not report. I am very sure it is also fact that Mr Lopez here would rather not get published here. Just read on and judge yourself. You can Google on Nik Aziz if you want to verify my words here. So much for a gentler brand of Islam, don’t you think so Greg ?
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He added that as for the involvement of Osama in terrorism, ‘I leave it to God because he has not been proven but the propaganda that was pioneered by the United States. However, whether Osama was really involved in terror is still a vague matter that could not be confirmed, but the involvement of the United States has proven itself in all the violence it caused globally
This is clearly the attack on Afghanistan and Iraq that destroyed the two countries with the aim of finding weapons of mass destruction that could not be found until today. What about the U.S. actions against Israel are openly committing acts of terror in Palestine?
Not only does the U.S. not act, it offers strong support for Israel. Hence, if Osama was considered as a terrorist, then Israel should be referred to as the more violent and American forces also can not escape from term ‘terrorism’.
Blasting the Malaysian PM on his statement that the world is safer after Osama’s death, the elder Muslim and leader of the Islamic Party in Malaysia said: “As for those who say that the world is safer with the death of Osama, I think the fact that as you are not careful and your only aim is to appear as a supporter of America. If the world is safer with Osama’s death, ask whether the world is safer with the existence of the United States?
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Extracted from, “Selangor Sultan backs Jais church raid, no one to be charged“, Shazwan Mustafa Kamal, The Malaysian Insider, 10 October 2011.
Can anyone explain how does one have evidence but insufficient for further legal action?
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There is such a thing as insufficient evidence. Even though I doubt that they found any evidence of “attempts to subvert Muslims”.
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The content of this article is welcome news, in my personal opinion.
Yes, there are a few kinks, such as the stronger than expected support for suicide bombing and terrorism revealed by the Muslim Youth Survey Malaysia 2010.
Why do organisations like the Jemaah Islamiah continue to have a hold on the imagination of Muslims? It is because they seem to provide a way to defend Islam, a religion which Muslims (as shown in the survey) truly love.
But one should not look at Islam as a problem. If anything, it is the solution.
I just want to highlight, as a Muslim, the concept of “wasatiah” (look it up) or moderation in Islam. Put into practice, the concept of wasatiah can be a powerful tool against extremism of any kind in Malaysia and globally.
In fighting for the ‘hearts and minds’ of people (specifically Muslims), moderate Islam, the true Islam, must be encouraged. Peace
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Muslims in Southeast Asia are the most devout?
“A Pew Research Center survey into the values, rituals and lifestyles of more than 35,000 Muslims around the world showed that the Muslims of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand were often among the most enthusiastic followers of some of the five pillars of Islam: the declaration of faith, prayer, alms giving, fasting during Ramadan and going on a pilgrimage to Mecca.”
I wonder how devoutness correlates with the levels of corruption in these countries?
http://blogs.wsj.com/searealtime/2012/08/27/southeast-asian-muslims-among-worlds-most-devout/?mod=e2tw
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