The Attitude and Commitment of the Malaysian Government towards Islam in Malaysian Foreign Policy: An Assessment

• Main Author: Robani, Anidah
• Other Authors: Mohd Sani, Mohd Azizuddin
• Format: Book Section
• Language: English; English; English; English; English; English; English; English; English; English; English; English; English; English
• Published: UUM Press 2012
• Subjects: JZ International relations
• Online Access: http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/11242/1/COVER.pdf; http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/11242/2/PAGE_27.pdf; http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/11242/3/PAGE_28-29.pdf; http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/11242/4/PAGE_30-31.pdf; http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/11242/6/PAGE_32-33.pdf; http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/11242/7/PAGE_34-35.pdf; http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/11242/8/PAGE_36-37.pdf; http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/11242/9/PAGE_38-39.pdf; http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/11242/10/PAGE_40-41.pdf; http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/11242/11/PAGE_42-43.pdf; http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/11242/12/PAGE_44-45.pdf; http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/11242/13/PAGE_46-47.pdf; http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/11242/14/PAGE_48-49.pdf; http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/11242/15/PAGE_50-51.pdf; http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/11242/

Malaysia gained its independence on August31, 1957. According the new Merdeka Constitution, Islam was made for the first time the official religion (Sheridan & Groves, 1967) for the entire Federation, including Penang and Malacca as well as the Malaya states. Article 3 (2) provides that the Malay states' rulers will be in charge of Islam in their states. But in the states of Penang and Malacca, where there is no dynastic rule, governors of these states are not entrusted with religious responsibility. Instead, this duty is assumed by the Yang DiPertuan Agong who acts as the ruling Monarch for the federation as a whole. This paper does not intend to examine comprehensively the Malaysia foreign policy. Specifically it attempts to analyze the Islamic dimension in the formulation of Malaysia foreign policy. Its main emphasis is to identify its prime mover, is it driven by international humanitarian mode or Islamic orientation at large?