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Religion and Society in Asia
The Malaysian Islamic Party 1951-2013: Islamism in a Mottled Nation
A historical recount on the development of Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party PAS and how it rose to become the most prominent Islamist party in Southeast Asia.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 15, 2014
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73 people want to read
About the author
Farish A. Noor
25 books106 followersDr. Farish Ahmad Noor (born 15 May 1967 in Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia) is a Malaysian political scientist and historian and is presently a Senior Fellow at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. At the NTU he is part of the research cluster on the contemporary development of trans-national religio-political networks across South and Southeast Asia, where he is studying the phenomenon of Muslim, Christian, Hindu and Buddhist religio-political mobilisation in the public domain.
He was formerly attached to Zentrum Moderner Orient (Centre for Modern Oriental Studies) in Berlin, Germany, Sciences-Po Paris, the Institute for the Study of Muslim Society (ISIMM, Ecole des haute etudes et sciences sociale, EHESS), Paris and the International Institute for the Study of the Muslim World (ISIM), Leiden, Netherlands. Dr. Noor's teaching credits include the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue, University of Malaya, the Institute for Islamic Studies, Free University Berlin, Sunan Kalijaga Islamic University (Jogjakarta), Muhamadiyah University Surakarta and Nanyang Technological University presently.
At NTU/RSIS he teaches two courses: (1) History, Society and Politics of Malaysia and (2) Introduction to Discourse Analysis. The first is part of the RSIS area studies curricula (which also covers Indonesia) while the second is a foundational course in Philosophy of Language, Linguistics and Semiotics with a heavy emphasis on Critical Theory as developed by the Essex School of Discourse Analysis.
He received his BA in Philosophy & Literature from the University of Sussex in 1989, before studying for an MA in Philosophy at the same University in 1990, an MA in South-East Asian Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, before completing his PhD at the University of Essex in 1997 in the field of governance and politics.
Dr Noor also runs a research site www.othermalaysia.org along with Dr Yusseri Yusoff, which looks at the history of Malaysia from an alternative, deconstructive angle and which attempts to demonstrate the constructiveness and contingency behind historical development, particularly of nation-states from the pre-colonial to post-colonial era.
Over the past ten years he has also been researching the phenomenon of transnational and translocal religio-political movements, including missionary movements such as the Tablighi Jama'at and its networks from South to Southeast Asia; as well as the development of religio-politics in South and Southeast Asia, looking at the rise of Muslim, Christian and Hindu political-religious revivalism in particular.
His other interests include antiques and material history, and he has written about the plastic arts of Southeast Asia, focusing on things such as the Indonesian-Malaysian keris to the development of woodcarving and architecture.
Farish has also appeared in the semi-documentary film The Big Durian (film), directed by Amir Muhammad.
He was formerly attached to Zentrum Moderner Orient (Centre for Modern Oriental Studies) in Berlin, Germany, Sciences-Po Paris, the Institute for the Study of Muslim Society (ISIMM, Ecole des haute etudes et sciences sociale, EHESS), Paris and the International Institute for the Study of the Muslim World (ISIM), Leiden, Netherlands. Dr. Noor's teaching credits include the Centre for Civilisational Dialogue, University of Malaya, the Institute for Islamic Studies, Free University Berlin, Sunan Kalijaga Islamic University (Jogjakarta), Muhamadiyah University Surakarta and Nanyang Technological University presently.
At NTU/RSIS he teaches two courses: (1) History, Society and Politics of Malaysia and (2) Introduction to Discourse Analysis. The first is part of the RSIS area studies curricula (which also covers Indonesia) while the second is a foundational course in Philosophy of Language, Linguistics and Semiotics with a heavy emphasis on Critical Theory as developed by the Essex School of Discourse Analysis.
He received his BA in Philosophy & Literature from the University of Sussex in 1989, before studying for an MA in Philosophy at the same University in 1990, an MA in South-East Asian Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, before completing his PhD at the University of Essex in 1997 in the field of governance and politics.
Dr Noor also runs a research site www.othermalaysia.org along with Dr Yusseri Yusoff, which looks at the history of Malaysia from an alternative, deconstructive angle and which attempts to demonstrate the constructiveness and contingency behind historical development, particularly of nation-states from the pre-colonial to post-colonial era.
Over the past ten years he has also been researching the phenomenon of transnational and translocal religio-political movements, including missionary movements such as the Tablighi Jama'at and its networks from South to Southeast Asia; as well as the development of religio-politics in South and Southeast Asia, looking at the rise of Muslim, Christian and Hindu political-religious revivalism in particular.
His other interests include antiques and material history, and he has written about the plastic arts of Southeast Asia, focusing on things such as the Indonesian-Malaysian keris to the development of woodcarving and architecture.
Farish has also appeared in the semi-documentary film The Big Durian (film), directed by Amir Muhammad.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 23, 2022
"It has been a story filled with achievements as well as failures, sacrifice as well as treachery, heroism as well as cowardice - which makes the story of PAS a very human story."
Membaca, apatah lagi menulis sejarah PAS dengan lensa yang kritis dan sikap yang adil merupakan suatu perkara yang sukar dilakukan. Farish Noor bagi saya berjaya memberi gambaran yang objektif terhadap parti Islam terbesar negara ini, melalui sorotan sejarah sejak kelahiran rasminya pada 1951, hingga 2013.
Bagi yang mendokong, status PAS sebagai sebuah gerakan Islam yang dipimpin ulama dilihat mengaburkan mata mereka daripada menilai PAS sebagai sebuah parti politik yang dahagakan kuasa. Bagi yang menentang, PAS selaku gerakan Islamisme juga menjadi punca mengapa mereka sering ditolak dan disalahtanggap, tanpa mengambil kira konteks zaman yang dilalui.
Berjuang untuk memenangi suara rakyat, bersuara bagi pihak rakyat, mengambil pendirian yang menyanggahi pendirian rakyat, bahkan menekan suara rakyat; kesemua ini sebahagian daripada proses yang membentuk PAS sebagai sebuah parti Islam yang paling dominan.
PAS pernah merasai peritnya kemiskinan, hingga tak mampu menyewa pejabat dan membeli mesin taip sendiri. PAS juga pernah merasai manisnya kemewahan, limpahan tender balak dan projek pembangunan berada di bawah telunjuk jarinya.
PAS pernah dipimpin oleh Islamis berhaluan kiri, melaungkan slogan sosialisme Islam dan bertahaluf dengan parti Kassim Ahmad. PAS juga telah bereksperimen dengan menyertai kerajaan campuran pimpinan UMNO dan menukar halatuju ke arah nasionalisme Melayu, lalu kemudiannya mengemudi gelombang Islamisasi dengan menjadikan ulama sebagai nakhoda perjuangan.
Kesemua titik penting ini membuktikan bahawa PAS adalah sebuah parti yang dinamik, kompleks dan tidak boleh dianalisis melalui kaca mata simplistik. Tapi ke mana hala tuju PAS selepas ini? Tiada siapa yang mampu memberi jawapan definitif.
Membaca, apatah lagi menulis sejarah PAS dengan lensa yang kritis dan sikap yang adil merupakan suatu perkara yang sukar dilakukan. Farish Noor bagi saya berjaya memberi gambaran yang objektif terhadap parti Islam terbesar negara ini, melalui sorotan sejarah sejak kelahiran rasminya pada 1951, hingga 2013.
Bagi yang mendokong, status PAS sebagai sebuah gerakan Islam yang dipimpin ulama dilihat mengaburkan mata mereka daripada menilai PAS sebagai sebuah parti politik yang dahagakan kuasa. Bagi yang menentang, PAS selaku gerakan Islamisme juga menjadi punca mengapa mereka sering ditolak dan disalahtanggap, tanpa mengambil kira konteks zaman yang dilalui.
Berjuang untuk memenangi suara rakyat, bersuara bagi pihak rakyat, mengambil pendirian yang menyanggahi pendirian rakyat, bahkan menekan suara rakyat; kesemua ini sebahagian daripada proses yang membentuk PAS sebagai sebuah parti Islam yang paling dominan.
PAS pernah merasai peritnya kemiskinan, hingga tak mampu menyewa pejabat dan membeli mesin taip sendiri. PAS juga pernah merasai manisnya kemewahan, limpahan tender balak dan projek pembangunan berada di bawah telunjuk jarinya.
PAS pernah dipimpin oleh Islamis berhaluan kiri, melaungkan slogan sosialisme Islam dan bertahaluf dengan parti Kassim Ahmad. PAS juga telah bereksperimen dengan menyertai kerajaan campuran pimpinan UMNO dan menukar halatuju ke arah nasionalisme Melayu, lalu kemudiannya mengemudi gelombang Islamisasi dengan menjadikan ulama sebagai nakhoda perjuangan.
Kesemua titik penting ini membuktikan bahawa PAS adalah sebuah parti yang dinamik, kompleks dan tidak boleh dianalisis melalui kaca mata simplistik. Tapi ke mana hala tuju PAS selepas ini? Tiada siapa yang mampu memberi jawapan definitif.
August 1, 2016
Tulisan Farish A Noor sentiasa segar dan memberi perspektif baru dan berbeza. Saya ada hampir kesemua buku tulisan beliau. Kisah Parti Islam Se Malaysia ini sudah banyak ditulis dalam banyak buku-buku lain tetapi buku ini tetap ada kelainannya. Walaupun buku ini ditulis setakat tahun 2013, tetapi apa yang berlaku selepas itu seperti sudah dijangka akan berlaku. Kerencaman pemikiran yang mencetuskan perbezaan dalam menanggapi sesuatu isu merupakan cabaran terbesar yang akan terus dihadapai oleh parti ini.
December 5, 2021
Dr Burhanuddin said
"Three forces in our society today
1. Nationalisme
2. Islamisme
3. Socialisme
They are not separable from one another but in fact related to one another".
Three streams of ideas continue in this country.
1. Malay ethnonationalisme
2. Capital driven modernity
3. Global islamism.
Divisions in PAS
1. Islamist democrate reformist
2. Ulama faction
3. Malays ethno nationalist faction.
PAS does not simply seek to insinuate itself into that world, but to change it as well.
If PAS were to come to power in the country one day, it would discover that it had its work cut out for it. That all that left for PAS to do would be to add the final touches to what has become an already islamised Malaysia.
Bear in mind that PAS is a party with its own history, identity and goal. That it speaks a language that needs to be understood by virtue of its particularity.
"Three forces in our society today
1. Nationalisme
2. Islamisme
3. Socialisme
They are not separable from one another but in fact related to one another".
Three streams of ideas continue in this country.
1. Malay ethnonationalisme
2. Capital driven modernity
3. Global islamism.
Divisions in PAS
1. Islamist democrate reformist
2. Ulama faction
3. Malays ethno nationalist faction.
PAS does not simply seek to insinuate itself into that world, but to change it as well.
If PAS were to come to power in the country one day, it would discover that it had its work cut out for it. That all that left for PAS to do would be to add the final touches to what has become an already islamised Malaysia.
Bear in mind that PAS is a party with its own history, identity and goal. That it speaks a language that needs to be understood by virtue of its particularity.
May 6, 2024
Re-reading this for a research project, and this book remains invaluable. I just wonder who will write its sequel in the future.
February 26, 2022
Indeed, Prof. Farish A. Noor had proven to us again that he can write such an interesting topic with critical, yet neutral language. I believe I was among the readers who thought that this book will be an attack on PAS (academically), but I am surprised it is not an attack nor magnification on the related party politic, but it is history, imbued with the sense of consciousness and analytical account of the streams existing within PAS from its birth to where is it now (in the book, 2013), and the challenges that they are facing. This book is a must-read for any people interested in PAS since it provides such an objective explanation of the subject matter. I hope for the days that the author will update this book in light of the events in 2014-2022. It is interesting to see what streams of PAS had dominated the party and what kind of trajectory was taken by the party when they become part of the ruling coalition after the infamous 'Sheraton Move'.
July 26, 2020
I actually expect a content of PAS contribution to the society, or at least to their winning state in PRU. Like, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah. Sadly, I'm still looking for that. However, with regards to Prof Farish writings in this book, I could say this book is a must read book for all PAS members and also to those who favours Malaysian politics. I can say, this is the most comprehensive writings for PAS
May 19, 2019
This book is a quintessential read for anyone who wanted to delve into Malaysia's politics.
September 30, 2016
Phenomenal.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews