Zivilgesellschaft und kompetitiver Autoritarismus in Malaysia

Abstract

This article analyses the development of civil society in Malaysia under competitive-authoritarian rule. Applying the concept of historical institutionalism, institutional legacies will be identified which have been and still are of great influence on the structures and functions of Malaysian civil society. The study shows that civil society changed profoundly since 1957, with regard to its structures and functionalities. An ethnically segmented civil society, based on religious, cultural and functional interest groups, has been replaced by civil society which is built upon NGOs and social movements which are well-connected with other opposition actors. The article argues that civil society groups are increasingly emerging as challengers for the autocratic elites. Nevertheless, by using coercion and co-opting parts of the opposition, the autocratic elites continue to keep the civil society in check in order to stabilize their autocratic rule. However, the use of coercion and cooptation is restricted due to the regime's competitive character, thus producing structural, functional and operative limited civil society.