Political rivalry between Malaysia’s two largest Muslim parties and an emerging Muslim civil society are obvious causes of the increased impact of Islam in Malaysia. But Islam in the Malaysian polity is also appearing in an unexpected form: as part of a secularizing bureaucracy.
This bureaucracy, at the national and state levels, oversees the implementation of Islamic laws (or Sharia) and it has become the linchpin of Malaysia’s state-driven Islamization. Sharia determines what is “right” or official in Islam and regulates almost all aspects of Muslim life. This places Islamic bureaucrats in a much stronger position than Islamic politicians. Bureaucrats can invoke the Sharia as a non-negotiable divine law and do not require the support of a diverse and multi-religious constituency for their political capital. Moreover, the bureaucracy enjoys a reputation for neutrality among Malaysian citizens.