Why Malaysia’s identity politics isn’t like the global right-wing rise

Malaysia's political landscape has always been shaped by identity politics, in contrast to right-wing politics which is a more recent development in Western nations, according to political analysts. Experts from Universiti Sains Malaysia and the Singapore Institute of International Affairs noted that developed countries like the US and UK only witnessed the rise of right-wing politics in the past few decades.

They pointed out that both nations attempted to "deracialize" their societies post-World War II and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, aiming to create a unified national identity for all ethnic groups.

For Malaysia, identity politics has been a persistent element in every election, as Fauzi Abdul Hamid explained. This stems from how race is addressed in the Federal Constitution, particularly through Article 153, which grants a special position to Malays and natives of Sabah and Sarawak. The analysts emphasized that this racial identity is not a recent phenomenon but a resurgence in the political environment.

Fauzi described identity politics as a foundational aspect defined by Article 153 and Article 160, which classify Malays as those who profess Islam. This communal identity dominates political narratives when the electorate feels their constitutional position is under threat, rather than solely due to poverty.

Unlike the West, where economic factors have often been linked to the rise of right-wing sentiment, Fauzi highlighted that solutions based solely on economic measures like loans, handouts, or improved salaries do not resonate in Malaysia. He pointed to the 2018 Negeri Sembilan polls, where the BN-PN alliance won all Malay-majority seats despite a relatively satisfactory performance by the previous state government and the high regard for former Menteri Besar Aminuddin Harun.

Pakatan Harapan (PH) blamed its defeat on the exploitation of identity politics by its rivals. Fauzi stressed that Malaysia's political system is not a liberal democratic order, but rather a statecraft built upon identity politics from the outset.

The potential future of Malaysia's political future lies in the type of Islamic political ideology espoused by Malay-dominated powers. Fauzi cautioned against extremist or overly conservative forms of Islamism, advocating for a pluralist Islamism within a democratic framework. He emphasized that Islam in Malaysia is a constitutional fait accompli, while Islamism is a matter of choice.

The choice of Islamic model by Malay-dominated powers will ultimately determine whether Malaysia can achieve a multi-racial society, he concluded.