The rise of the Muslim NGOS in Malaysia is an ethnic thing too

by: Salaam

Tue May 05, 2009 at 07:48:15 AM EDT

From The Nut Graph:
Even though the NGOs' rhetoric is very much about defending the Muslim ummah, they seem reluctant to band together under a single, united banner. Dr Mazeni Alwi, chairperson and co-founder of the Muslim Professional's Forum, says, "To confine ourselves to one or two NGOs is limiting. We need a spectrum of views on any issue."

Why is there this division? Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that many of these NGOs conflate issues relating to Islam and Malay rights. Article 160(2) of the Federal Constitution defines "Malay" as "a person who professes the religion of Islam, habitually speaks the Malay language, [and] conforms to Malay custom." Muslim activists often juxtapose this against Article 3(1): "Islam is the religion of the Federation."

Thus, there appears to be a supreme, combined identity that needs to be defended: that of the Malay and the Muslim.

Story here.

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