Elite Populism and Malay Political Leaders in Malaysia

This book focuses on the many kinds of populist politicians in Malaysia who capitalise on the mindset of the Malay majority population by appealing to their need for a protector. In order to demonstrate that populism is pervasive and can even be found in this developing nation in Southeast Asia, the book presents the background, policies, and rhetoric of seven prominent Malay politicians in Malaysia who utilise populism as a strategy. It does so by comparing various populist leaders in Malaysia to demonstrate that populism is merely a method for these politicians to garner support. Since most of these leaders come from the establishment, the rhetoric against the elites is merely performative rather than a true belief of these Malay leaders. The book takes a case-study approach to understanding the rise of populism in Malaysia, and Asia more generally. It offers a framework that is grounded in the sociopolitical context of the Malay community, which helps to elucidate the phenomenon of elite populism in the country. Syaza Shukri is an associate professor of political science at the International Islamic University Malaysia and a visiting fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore. Her area of specialisation is in comparative politics, specifically in political Islam and democratisation in the Middle East, Southeast Asia and her home country of Malaysia. She has published in the areas of populism, identity politics, and geopolitics, focusing on the Muslim world.