Publication

This paper analyzes the defeat of the Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS) in the 2004 general elections. The author discusses demographic, social and economic changes in the country, such as the impact of globalization and the rise of the middle class, with a particular focus on the realms of political economy and ideological modernization. The author contends that although PAS-internal pressures for change have accelerated since the electoral setback of 2004, any structural transformation in the party will take a long time.