MALAYSIA'S POST-9/11 SECURITY STRATEGY: WINNING "HEARTS AND MINDS" OR LEGITIMISING THE POLITICAL STATUS QUO?
Since the Emergency, the Malaysian government has maintained a security policy which somewhat paradoxically combines the use ofcoercive, repressive legislation with a "hearts and minds" ideology.Following 9/11, I argue that the government has adapted this "heartsand minds" approa...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universiti Sains Malaysia
2010-01-01
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| Series: | Kajian Malaysia |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://web.usm.my/km/28(1)2010/KM%20ART%202%20(21-52).pdf |
| _version_ | 1818305007270756352 |
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| author | Andrew Humphreys |
| author_facet | Andrew Humphreys |
| author_sort | Andrew Humphreys |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Since the Emergency, the Malaysian government has maintained a security policy which somewhat paradoxically combines the use ofcoercive, repressive legislation with a "hearts and minds" ideology.Following 9/11, I argue that the government has adapted this "heartsand minds" approach to the so-called War on Terror. The BarisanNasional governments of Mahathir Mohamad and Abdullah Badawi bothformulated ideological strategies designed to undermine the ideological strength of al-Qaeda and establish Malaysia as a leader of the Muslim world. Mahathir and Abdullah hinged their ideological approach on a state-constructed form of Islam and sought to portray Malaysia as a tolerant and moderate Muslim country. However, it will be shown that the use of ideology in Malaysia is often calibrated to ensure regime security rather than national security. The Malaysian government has used its ideology to promote elite interests and limit the discursive space for alternative and opposing viewpoints. Significantly, ideology has been used to justify crackdowns against genuine political opponents and to legitimise the political status quo. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-13T06:19:44Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9cc73dde5bde48529023f87a8a917b9e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0127-4082 2180-4273 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-13T06:19:44Z |
| publishDate | 2010-01-01 |
| publisher | Universiti Sains Malaysia |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Kajian Malaysia |
| spelling | doaj.art-9cc73dde5bde48529023f87a8a917b9e2022-12-21T23:56:53ZengUniversiti Sains MalaysiaKajian Malaysia0127-40822180-42732010-01-012812152MALAYSIA'S POST-9/11 SECURITY STRATEGY: WINNING "HEARTS AND MINDS" OR LEGITIMISING THE POLITICAL STATUS QUO?Andrew HumphreysSince the Emergency, the Malaysian government has maintained a security policy which somewhat paradoxically combines the use ofcoercive, repressive legislation with a "hearts and minds" ideology.Following 9/11, I argue that the government has adapted this "heartsand minds" approach to the so-called War on Terror. The BarisanNasional governments of Mahathir Mohamad and Abdullah Badawi bothformulated ideological strategies designed to undermine the ideological strength of al-Qaeda and establish Malaysia as a leader of the Muslim world. Mahathir and Abdullah hinged their ideological approach on a state-constructed form of Islam and sought to portray Malaysia as a tolerant and moderate Muslim country. However, it will be shown that the use of ideology in Malaysia is often calibrated to ensure regime security rather than national security. The Malaysian government has used its ideology to promote elite interests and limit the discursive space for alternative and opposing viewpoints. Significantly, ideology has been used to justify crackdowns against genuine political opponents and to legitimise the political status quo.http://web.usm.my/km/28(1)2010/KM%20ART%202%20(21-52).pdfMalaysiaterrorismcounter-terrorismwar on terrorIslamIslam HadhariideologyMahathir MohamadAbdullah Badawi |
| spellingShingle | Andrew Humphreys MALAYSIA'S POST-9/11 SECURITY STRATEGY: WINNING "HEARTS AND MINDS" OR LEGITIMISING THE POLITICAL STATUS QUO? Kajian Malaysia Malaysia terrorism counter-terrorism war on terror Islam Islam Hadhari ideology Mahathir Mohamad Abdullah Badawi |
| title | MALAYSIA'S POST-9/11 SECURITY STRATEGY: WINNING "HEARTS AND MINDS" OR LEGITIMISING THE POLITICAL STATUS QUO? |
| title_full | MALAYSIA'S POST-9/11 SECURITY STRATEGY: WINNING "HEARTS AND MINDS" OR LEGITIMISING THE POLITICAL STATUS QUO? |
| title_fullStr | MALAYSIA'S POST-9/11 SECURITY STRATEGY: WINNING "HEARTS AND MINDS" OR LEGITIMISING THE POLITICAL STATUS QUO? |
| title_full_unstemmed | MALAYSIA'S POST-9/11 SECURITY STRATEGY: WINNING "HEARTS AND MINDS" OR LEGITIMISING THE POLITICAL STATUS QUO? |
| title_short | MALAYSIA'S POST-9/11 SECURITY STRATEGY: WINNING "HEARTS AND MINDS" OR LEGITIMISING THE POLITICAL STATUS QUO? |
| title_sort | malaysia s post 9 11 security strategy winning hearts and minds or legitimising the political status quo |
| topic | Malaysia terrorism counter-terrorism war on terror Islam Islam Hadhari ideology Mahathir Mohamad Abdullah Badawi |
| url | http://web.usm.my/km/28(1)2010/KM%20ART%202%20(21-52).pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT andrewhumphreys malaysiaspost911securitystrategywinningheartsandmindsorlegitimisingthepoliticalstatusquo |