Over 90% of Muslim youth in Malaysia are happy with their lives and believe that hard work will bring them success and wealth, according to a recent poll.
THE youthquake that is gripping the Middle East has cast a spotlight on the young Muslims in Malaysia and Indonesia, the two majority-Muslim countries in the region.
However, as the findings of a recent survey on the Muslim youth in the region hinted, they may not be likely to start their own Jasmine Revolution here as they are content, satisfied and optimistic about their lives and their respective countries' future.
According to the survey “Values, Dreams, Ideals: Muslim Youth in South-East Asia”, 92% of young Malaysian Muslims aged 15 to 25 surveyed said that they are happy with their life compared to 93.8% young Indonesians.
Major goal: Most young Muslims believe that education is a major factor in personal development, and an important factor in social mobility.
The survey, spearheaded by the Goethe Institute and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, polled 1,060 youth aged 15 to 25 in Malaysia and 1,496 in Indonesia between October and November last year. It was jointly conducted by Merdeka Center with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and the Lembaga Survei Indonesia on the Indonesian side.
Becoming an entrepreneur tops the list of aspirations for Malaysian youth (24.3%), followed by being a good parent (18.4%) and becoming rich (14.9%).
Being a politician scored almost at the bottom of the list at 0.8%, 1.9% fewer than the number aspiring to be an “artist” (singer or actor).
Some 73% are confident that their economic situation will improve while 94.9% believe that hard work will bring them success and wealth.
Most believe that education is a major factor in personal development, and an important factor in social mobility.
At the same time, many put having a family as a priority for happiness in life (94.2%).
Attaining quality education (61%), getting the opportunity to learn new things (64%) and having a successful working life (97%) are also of prime importance for Indonesian muslim youth (97%), with 53% aiming for professional success and 22.3% for wealth.
While 64% of those polled in the republic felt that the economy had remained static or declined, 57% believe in the importance of hard work to achieve what they want while 73% said that hard workers deserve to be richer.
Similarly, over 90% of the Muslim youth surveyed in Indonesia regard marriage and family as very important.
As studies showed, the revolutions in the Arab world were fired up by their young people's unhappiness with the same issues jobs, education and marriage.
What may be a cause for concern here, however, is the rising religious and social conservatism among young Muslims of the region as hinted by the findings of the survey.
Around 72% support the idea of the Quran replacing the Federal Constitution, while 98.3% say that Muslims are not allowed to change their religion, rejecting one of the freedoms enshrined in the statute.
News
Search for News
Nation
Sarawak
World Updates
Courts
Parliament
Columnists
Opinion
Honours List
Sunday July 31, 2011
Young Muslims strive for success
By HARIATI AZIZAN
sunday@thestar.com.my
Over 90% of Muslim youth in Malaysia are happy with their lives and believe that hard work will bring them success and wealth, according to a recent poll.
THE youthquake that is gripping the Middle East has cast a spotlight on the young Muslims in Malaysia and Indonesia, the two majority-Muslim countries in the region.
However, as the findings of a recent survey on the Muslim youth in the region hinted, they may not be likely to start their own Jasmine Revolution here as they are content, satisfied and optimistic about their lives and their respective countries' future.
According to the survey “Values, Dreams, Ideals: Muslim Youth in South-East Asia”, 92% of young Malaysian Muslims aged 15 to 25 surveyed said that they are happy with their life compared to 93.8% young Indonesians.
Major goal: Most young Muslims believe that education is a major factor in personal development, and an important factor in social mobility.
The survey, spearheaded by the Goethe Institute and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, polled 1,060 youth aged 15 to 25 in Malaysia and 1,496 in Indonesia between October and November last year. It was jointly conducted by Merdeka Center with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and the Lembaga Survei Indonesia on the Indonesian side.
Becoming an entrepreneur tops the list of aspirations for Malaysian youth (24.3%), followed by being a good parent (18.4%) and becoming rich (14.9%).
Being a politician scored almost at the bottom of the list at 0.8%, 1.9% fewer than the number aspiring to be an “artist” (singer or actor).
Some 73% are confident that their economic situation will improve while 94.9% believe that hard work will bring them success and wealth.
Most believe that education is a major factor in personal development, and an important factor in social mobility.
At the same time, many put having a family as a priority for happiness in life (94.2%).
Attaining quality education (61%), getting the opportunity to learn new things (64%) and having a successful working life (97%) are also of prime importance for Indonesian muslim youth (97%), with 53% aiming for professional success and 22.3% for wealth.
While 64% of those polled in the republic felt that the economy had remained static or declined, 57% believe in the importance of hard work to achieve what they want while 73% said that hard workers deserve to be richer.
Similarly, over 90% of the Muslim youth surveyed in Indonesia regard marriage and family as very important.
As studies showed, the revolutions in the Arab world were fired up by their young people's unhappiness with the same issues jobs, education and marriage.
What may be a cause for concern here, however, is the rising religious and social conservatism among young Muslims of the region as hinted by the findings of the survey.
Around 72% support the idea of the Quran replacing the Federal Constitution, while 98.3% say that Muslims are not allowed to change their religion, rejecting one of the freedoms enshrined in the statute.
A large majority of the young Muslims polled support moves to impose religious code and law in public life: about 71.5% support the cutting off of hands as punishment for convicted thieves; 92.5% agree to the death sentence for murderers; and 92.4% support whipping as punishment for those who drink alcohol.
This may not come as a surprise to many social observers as ever since former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad declared Malaysia as an Islamic state in the late 1980s, the idea has gained much currency.
And despite the peaceful co-existence of various religions in the country, the Islamisation process has grown rapidly in the last few decades.
More religious
Muslim households have grown more religious, as 88.2% of Muslim youth claimed that their families are “very religious” and “rather religious”.
Believing in God and becoming a better Muslim are rated as the most important things in life, to have friends is less important while to become rich ranks last.
In the last decade, Malaysia has gained a reputation worldwide for its seemingly conservative stance, specifically on entertainment and the arts not only from extreme religious factions but also overzealous theocrats.
This perception is intensified by the rise of other faith-related controversies such as the caning of Muslim women for drinking alcohol and protesting against the staging of rock concerts.
Take the MTV World Stage Live Concert that rocked Malaysia last week for instance.
Though it came to pass without much aftershock, there is fear that the rumble from certain Islamist factions against the music event may be a sign of the nation to come.
And while the survey shows no sign that young Muslims in the country will express their religious sentiments as vehemently, it cannot be denied that their stance on the issue may not be so different.
Similarly, Indonesian Muslim youth put faith in God and being religiously devout as the most important things in life while following traditions and customs are ranked lower with enjoying life to the fullest, last.
Interestingly, however, Indonesian youth are more adamant about separating their personal beliefs and the state.
On the question of whether the Islamic holy book should replace their country's constitution, only 20% of Indonesian Muslim youth answered “Yes”.
As for the implementation of syariah law, only 49% said yes to cutting off the hands as punishment for thieves, while a lower number (compared to Malaysia), 66.9% agreed on death sentence for murderers and 68.5% thought that Muslims caught for drinking should be whipped.
A few political and social scientists in the country, however, cautioned that the conservative outlook painted may not be completely accurate and one would need to look beneath the surface to get the whole picture.
Crucially, stressed Professor of Social Anthropology at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Prof Datuk Dr Shamsul Amri Baharuddin, in terms of religious intensity and orientation, the poll shows that respondents cannot be categorised as extremists or fundamentalists.
Some 59.3% believe that terrorism gives Islam a bad name and there are no indications that they believe violence is an option in pushing for change.
“The survey provides sufficient findings for observers to support the impression that Malaysia is indeed not a failed state as some people would have us believe, nor is Malaysia a little Afghanistan with Taliban-like extremists running around eking out a living from growing poppies,” he wrote in his analysis of the survey.
Most importantly, the majority of both Malaysian and Indonesian youth surveyed said that they were not interested in politics.
Only 23% of Indonesian youth admitted to some interest in politics, with 27% stating that they participate in regional elections. Equally around 23% young Malaysian muslims said they were interested in politics.
However, only 14.2% of Malaysian Muslim youth participate in party politics and a mere 0.8% would want to become politicians. Worse, 66.3% have not registered as voters.
As Merdeka Center director Ibrahim Suffian concluded, the findings of the survey also show many contradictory statements.
It is as if the young people, especially the Malaysians, gave only answers that they know will be “acceptable”, opined Ibrahim.
He pointed out that while the youth's views came across as religiously conservative, in practice they are less so; only 18.1% said they read the Quran often while 28.7% said they always perform the compulsory five daily prayers.
While stating that they have little interest in politics, Malaysia's Muslim youth believe in “Peoples' Power”, and regard opposition parties as an integral part of a democracy and value freedom of expression and assembly.
While professing their strong belief in God and vowing to become better Muslims, many would rather watch television, listen to music or surf the Internet in their leisure time than go to a mosque.
No to violence
And though Malaysia's Muslim youth regard Osama bin Laden as a freedom fighter (62.4 % of the respondents), they denounce violence.
As a teacher who only wants to be known as Rashida sees it, young Malaysians are well trained in taking exams. “They know how to give the right answers to the right questions.”
Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim) exco member Jufitri Joha begged to differ, stressing that the findings largely reflect the contemporary reality, especially with regards to the young's interest in politics.
“Based on the survey, 75% of Muslim youth are not interested in politics because the current political situation is appalling. As a result, many have yet to register as voters and many do not even care who is at the helm of the country. This is a disappointing development,” he said.
He also disputed the finding that support the idea of the Quran replacing the Federal Constitution.
There are many aspects that are already covered by the Constitution, and it embodies the universal spirit of Islam.
“Perhaps, there needs to be some amendments from time to time to fit in with the Islamic code, on condition that it is also universal. But my fellow Abim members all agree that the constitution also cannot be amended too freely and too many times (as what has happened since independence),” Jufitri argued.
Ibrahim pointed out that it is important to consider that growing up in Malaysia, Muslim youth are constantly reminded of what they need to do and how to be good Muslims by parents, religious leaders, government-controlled media, teachers and others.
Political scientist and journalism lecturer at Monash University Malaysia Dr Wong Chin Huat agreed.
Peer pressure
“The cultural preference and taste of the Malaysian Muslim youth may be largely shaped by highly-controlled broadcast media, local religious teachers and parents much more than organic interaction of their peers or other autonomous social groupings,” he said.
He felt this may explain their universal reported rejection of un-Islamic lifestyles: occasional beer drinking (96.1%), taking soft drugs (98.9%), pre-marital sex (98.4%), watching pornographic movies (97.5%) and homosexuality (99.4%).
He also believes strongly that it would be “intellectually inept and morally wrong to equate religiosity of Muslims with their rejection of inclusion and modernity.”
True, today's Muslim youth lived in and embraced a globalised world. Modern technology has become a significant part of youth culture, taking young people beyond borders and exposing them to different cultures, views and value-systems.
Jufitri feels that this is apparent in the young's belief that they can push for social and political change through means other than political participation.
The only problem is, he said: “In reality, youth groups fail to attract the majority of the younger generation to join and work towards social and political change because many of these groups have the image of being boring and uncool.”
Copyright © 1995-2011 Star Publications (M) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
