Authors : Ahmad Sunawari Long, Wan Fariza Alyati Wan Zakaria and Indriaty Ismail
Abstract: The change of Malaysian economy based on agriculture sector to a new industrialized economy has brought dramatic changes in employment from labor-orientation to service-orientation. It also affected the process of urbanization significantly since the 1970s which contributes to the emergence of Malay Muslim middle class. This study is based on a survey conducted on 638 respondents who work or reside in the Klang valley and receive at the minimum of RM2,000.00 monthly income. The respondents were chosen randomly. It also discusses three domains of the Malay Muslim middle class identity, namely; self appearance, consumerism and religious socialization. The result indicates that those domains have been influenced by the 1970s Islamic resurgence and the policy of the Malaysian government.
Ahmad Sunawari Long, Wan Fariza Alyati Wan Zakaria and Indriaty Ismail, 2013. Religious Identity of the Malay Muslim Middle Class: A Case Study in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The Social Sciences, 8: 1-4.