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Political Islam
Faith Extracted: Nahdlatul Ulama and Raja Ampat
Virdika Rizky Utama 
2025
A nickel mining project in Raja Ampat forces Nahdlatul Ulama to confront its position amid state and corporate entanglement.
The Power Politics of Madura’s Kiai
- Nur Fadiah Anisah
- 2025
Madura’s kiai wield significant power, leveraging religious and local traditions to oppose phosphate mining and protect ancestral lands.
Islamic Parties in Prabowo’s Era
Power, access and key positions are prioritised over ideology and identity.
Rizieq Shihab’s Second Bloom
- Wahyudi Akmaliah
- 2024
Rizieq Shihab may soon become Indonesia’s top opposition figure once again.
Malaysia In the Middle
- Dina Zaman
- 2024
Recent global and local events have intensified identity politics in Malaysia.
Controversy: Anies Baswedan as Imam Mahdi
Abah Aos, a Sufi, recently called Anies Baswedan “Imam Mahdi”, sending ripples across several quarters of the society.
The Muted Islamist Populism in Indonesia
- Yahya Fathur Rozy
- 2024
There are a few reasons why Islamist populism does not feature heavily in political contestations ahead of the 2024 Presidential Election in Indonesia.
Social Media and the Manufacturing of Malay-Muslim Insecurity
- Dr. Hew Wai Weng
- 2023
Can insecurity among Malay-Muslims be manufactured? In Malaysia, this has been happening for years.
Examining the Impact of Islamist Feminism in Indonesia’s 2024 Presidential Election
- Raneeta Mutiara
- 2023
The Islamist feminist movement in Indonesia is gaining traction and could shape the political landscape of the 2024 presidential election.
The Green Wave as a Right-Wing Turn in Malay-Muslim Majoritarianism
- Dr. Nicholas Chan
- 2023
The ‘Green Wave’ is a phenomenon that is not explainable by Islamism alone. Thinking of it as a right-wing turn in Malay-Muslim majoritarianism.
Malaysia: Bracing for Impact of the “Green Wave”
The proverbial “green wave” casts a long shadow over religious freedom, minority rights and political development in Malaysia.
A Fiery Mix of Religious Institutions and Politics in Malaysia
- Syaza Shukri
- 2023
Malaysia’s opposition recently accused an interfaith initiative by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of attempting to evangelise Muslim youth. Notably, JAIS and MAIS also aligned themselves against this initiative. With this mix, what does it mean for Malaysia and the current government?
Explainer: PAS’ Performance in GE15
- Dr. Tan Sing Pei
- 2023
The 15th General Election (GE15) witnessed Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) emerging as the biggest winner after capturing 49 seats, the largest bloc by a single party in the parliament. An assessment on the rise of the Islamist party is necessary to measure how PAS’ success has changed Malaysia’s political landscape.
Identity Politics and Pilpres 2024: Learning from Aksi 212
Concerns are abound whether Indonesia would see another surge of identity politics being drummed up by Aksi 212 movement again ahead of the 2024 elections.
From Islamist to Muslim Majoritarianism: The Rise of PAS in GE15
- Dr. Hew Wai Weng
- 2022
In the campaign period of GE15, PAS and other right-wing groups successfully exploited the Malay Muslim insecurity. Following PAS’ spectacular showing in the election, the challenge to Malaysia ahead is not only about the growth of Islamism, but also the rise of right-wing Malay Muslim majoritarianism.
Mediatised Religion in Malaysia: Islamization by Trolling?
- Dr. Nicholas Chan
- 2022
The dynamics behind the “Islamization race” in Malaysian politics is changing. Apart from the UMNO-PAS competition as the “defender” of Islam, Malaysia is currently experiencing “Islamization by trolling” with real life consequences.
The Malay-Muslim Politics and Malaysia’s GE15
Underneath all of President Rodrigo Duterte’s strongman bravado is a deep-seated insecurity, resulting in a widespread defeatist attitude. This defeatism, while can be traced back to Filipino’s culture and the country’s longstanding alliance with the United States, manifests in Duterte’s pivot to China policy and neutrality in the Ukraine crisis. It has also provided a suitable context that ushered the return of the Marcos family to power.
Expected Acceptance and Rejection Factors for PAS and UMNO in Peninsula Malaysia in the 15th General Election
Underneath all of President Rodrigo Duterte’s strongman bravado is a deep-seated insecurity, resulting in a widespread defeatist attitude. This defeatism, while can be traced back to Filipino’s culture and the country’s longstanding alliance with the United States, manifests in Duterte’s pivot to China policy and neutrality in the Ukraine crisis. It has also provided a suitable context that ushered the return of the Marcos family to power.
Islamists vs Islamists in GE15
- Dr. Hew Wai Weng
- 2022
Various Islamist actors are competing and collaborating with each other across different political parties and coalitions in GE15. With different political and social participation, they have undergone various transformations although do not necessarily give up their ideological commitment.
The Recent Decline of Interfaith Dialogue in Indonesia: Causes and Challenges
- Wasisto Raharjo Jati
- 2022
The decline of interfaith dialogue in Indonesia comes at a time when there is a growing reluctance to accept people of different identities. This is concerning as recent conservatism swing has particularly made people more religious but not necessarily spiritual, making it harder for people to embrace the spirit of pluralism that has been ingrained in the Indonesian society for so long. Thus, there is an urgent need to revitalise this process in the country.
Sharia Politics in 2024: Ideology or Commodity
Sharia politics as a political force peaked in 2016 and 2017 but has struggled to maintain its momentum in recent years. Despite setbacks, it is in no way out of the picture. Will it make a comeback in 2024?
Political Islam in Indonesia: Looking at Pemilu 2024 and Beyond
While Islamist parties are still a long way from dominating the upcoming Indonesian elections, conservative Muslim voters will become increasingly indispensable to presidential hopefuls, adding pressures on religious liberty in Indonesia.
PAS and Taliban are Not Two Peas in a Pod
- Syaza Shukri
- 2021
Despite vocal support for the Taliban by several PAS leaders, such rhetoric is highly unlikely to translate into any actions beyond the permissible.
Interview with Dr. Lau Zhe Wei – Contestation Between Muslim and Non-Muslim Communities in Malaysia
- Dr. Lau Zhe Wei
- 2021
Amidst the current Timah Whiskey controversy and Syariah-related developments such as that in Kelantan, rationality must prevail in multi-religious Malaysia.
Hijrah or Pop Islam? Implications for Malaysia
- Syaza Shukri
- 2021
The pace of Islamisation in Malaysia has undoubtedly increase in the past decade. Spiritual Hijrah by the masses towards greater piety is of course commendable – until it is used by celebrities, entrepreneurs, and politicians for their personal gain.
Malay Political Polarization and Islamic Populism in Malaysia
- Syaza Shukri
- 2021
Islamic populism is currently a go-to strategy for Malay-based political parties vying for support form the same pool of electorates. This has been detrimental to the rights and liberties of non-Muslims in Malaysia with the possibility of extremism.
Exclusive Statement by FPI Lawyer, Aziz Yanuar
- Stratsea
- 2021
This is an exclusive statement by FPI lawyer, Aziz Yanuar, sought after its disbandment. The following statement was translated verbatim into English from Bahasa Indonesia.
FPI Disbandment: Setting a Bad Precedence
- Restu Diantina Putri
- 2021
After 22 years of existence and rife with controversies, the Islamic Defender Front (FPI) has finally collapsed during the Joko Widodo (Jokowi) administration. Was the government right in unilaterally disbanding FPI without warning, much less court proceedings?
The Politics of Religion in Indonesia: Exploiting the Islamic Identity in a Fragmented Society
- Dwinda Adrianto
- 2021
The popularity of figures such as FPI leader Rizieq Shihab signals a worrying trend of growing hardline conservatism among Indonesian Muslims.
The Sustainability of the Next Islamic Initiative in Malaysia
Past governments in Malaysia had issued Islamic initiatives as the Inculcation of Noble Values, Islam Hadhari, Indeks Syariah Malaysia, Rahmatan-lil-‘Alamin, Manhaj Rabbani and Inisiatif Mantap, all of which sizzled out following the fall of their respective political advocates. What may be the next Islamic initiative by the new government after the 15th General Election (GE15)?
