Religion plays an influential role in the constitutional monarchies of both Malaysia and Thailand. Islam is the official state religion in Malaysia, where the monarch must be Muslim, while Buddhism fulfills a similar role as the dominant religion in Thailand. Both countries structurally maintain a figurehead monarch who also serves as the head of the state religion. However, domestic policies that favor the majority religious group have led to discrimination and in some cases violent clashes between religious communities in each country. While the countries share some similarities in how religion intertwines with the monarchy and government, discriminatory policies continue to cause religious divisions.

1. How different is the role of religion in
Malaysia and Thailand’s political scene?
Our names
Josephine Wang
Isabelle Quek
Desiree Lim
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Wednesday, April 3, 2013

2. Presentation Outline
1
2
3
4
BACKGROUND OF BUDDHISM IN
THAILAND, ISLAM IN MALAYSIA
RELIGIOUS ROLE IN
CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY
DOMESTIC POLICY’S ROLE IN
RELIGION CLASH
CONCLUSION
2
STRUCTURAL SIMILARITY
5Wednesday, April 3, 2013

3. Islam in Malaysia
61.4%: Muslims Sunni Islam
1. BACKGROUND
1. Belief
4. Fasting during Ramadan
5. Pilgrimage to Mecca
2. Worship
3. Charitable giving
5PillarsofIslam
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Wednesday, April 3, 2013

4. Buddhism in Thailand
95%: Buddhists
Karma
Noble Eightfold Path
Rebirth
Concepts
Nirvana Mediation
Influences
Theravada School of
Buddhism - Sri Lanka
Hindu beliefs - Cambodia
(Sukhothai period)
Folk religion
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1. BACKGROUND
Wednesday, April 3, 2013

5. Structural similarities
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2. STRUCTURAL
Malaysia Thailand
Official: Islam Buddhism
State religion
Constitutional
monarchy
Sultanate
Recognized as
religion of Thai
tradition with most
adherents
Kingship
Wednesday, April 3, 2013

6. Constitutional
Monarchy
Japan
Australia
6
State
religion
Malaysia
Thailand
Israel
Bangladesh
Democratic nations
UK
Structural similarities
2. STRUCTURAL
Wednesday, April 3, 2013

7. Religion & Monarchy
Malaysia
Requirement: Monarch must be
religious i.e. Must be Muslim /
Buddhist
Thailand
Similarities
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3. MONARCHY
Ceremonial religious role
Wednesday, April 3, 2013

8. Similarities in Thailand
& Malaysia Monarchy
Malaysia Thailand
Succession
8
Yang di-Pertuan
Agong
Bhumibol
Adulyadej
Monarchy
Constitutional
role
Head of
Malaysia
Head of
Thailand
3. MONARCHY
Hereditary,
elective
Hereditary
Wednesday, April 3, 2013

9. Kingship:
Accumulation of
abundance of merit in
former lives (Notion of
reincarnation)
Religious role of Monarchy
Malaysia
Islam Buddhism
Thailand
Patron/ Head
of religion
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Other religions
Religion
supporting
legitimacy/
concept of
Kingship
Proof-texts for
concepts of
malakiyya-
“Monarchy, kingship,
royalty”
3. MONARCHY
Wednesday, April 3, 2013

10. Religion influences constitutional
monarchy in Thailand and Malaysia
10
Role of religion Constitutional
monarchy
As a legitimizing
agent
As a qualifier for
monarchy
Monarch doubles
as head of religion
& state
3. MONARCHY
Wednesday, April 3, 2013

11. Malaysia
Discriminatory
Policy / Event
Bumiputra
Coerced registration
of muslim religious
Thailand
4. DOMESTIC POLICY11
National education
policy
Effect of
Policy
“Sons of the Soil”
Special rights for
Malays
Ethnic discriminatory policy
Puttani separatism
Wednesday, April 3, 2013

12. 12
Malaysia
Bumiputra
Effect of Policy
Thailand
Puttani separatism
Discriminatory
Policy
Fall in Indian civil
workers
Indian university
students < 5%
Demolition of
Hindu temples
Muslim community
under control of
central government
Thai eliteʼs control
of Islamic practice
Ethnic discriminatory policy
4. DOMESTIC POLICY
Wednesday, April 3, 2013

13. 3,500 fatalities
Resultant religion clash
Result of Clash
Religion clash Demonstrations Tak Bai Incident
13
Malaysia Thailand
Usage of batons, tear
gas, water cannon
No fatalities
Assassinations,
explosive detonations,
ambushes, raids
4. DOMESTIC POLICY
Wednesday, April 3, 2013

14. Evaluation
Malaysia
Nature of
policy
Populist Elitist
Thailand
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Elevate economical
& educational status
of ethnic Malays
Delegitimize alternative
sources of authority i.e.
Minority religious leaders
to support continued rule
4. DOMESTIC POLICY
Objective of
discriminatory
policy
Wednesday, April 3, 2013

15. Discriminatory policy: Onset of
religion clash
15
Discriminatory
policy
Religion clash
Thaiʼs education
discriminatory
policy
Malaysiaʼs
Bumiputera
policy
South Thailand
insurgency
Demonstrations
4. DOMESTIC POLICY
Wednesday, April 3, 2013

16. Conclusion: Role/influence of religion
is not very different in M’sia & Thai
1 2
5. CONCLUSION
Structurally,
Thailand and
Malaysia
are similar in
the role
of religion in
constitutional
monarchy &
establishment
of state religion
16
Religion
divides remain
a point of
contention in
Malaysia and
Thailandʼs
public policies
Wednesday, April 3, 2013

17. Presentation Outline
1
2
3
4
BACKGROUND OF BUDDHISM IN
THAILAND, ISLAM IN MALAYSIA
RELIGIOUS ROLE IN
CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY
DOMESTIC POLICY’S ROLE IN
RELIGION CLASH
CONCLUSION
17
STRUCTURAL SIMILARITY
5Wednesday, April 3, 2013

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