Malaysia

SYA, Def Jam's taboo-breaking female Malaysian rapper

The first female signing for label Def Jam – the label behind superstars from Jay-Z and Rihanna to BTS and Justin Bieber – in Southeast Asia, SYA's debut single "PrettyGirlBop" tackles misogyny and acceptance in her Muslim-majority homeland

Malaysia seeks stricter sharia laws for "promoting LGBT lifestyle"

A Malaysian government taskforce has proposed amendments to sharia law that would allow action to be taken against social media users for insulting Islam and "promoting the LGBT lifestyle"

Arab allies jump ship over Pakistan's 'new Kashmir policy'

Lacking support from Arab countries for its stance on the Kashmir dispute, Pakistan is looking for new alliances under China's leadership. How practical is it for Islamabad to pursue its new foreign policy? By Haroon Janjua

Coronavirus takes no account of Ramadan

According to the latest Reuters tally, more than 2.54 million people are now reported to have been infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 177,004 have died. As Muslims prepare for a very different Ramadan this year, here are the latest developments from across the region

Doubling down on containment efforts

Around the Islamic world, lockdowns and curfews are being extended and religious ceremonies are being cancelled outright in the hope of slowing the spread of COVID-19. Here’s the latest from across the region

Cherry-picking for a distorted image of Islam

Why are predominantly Muslim countries lagging behind when it comes to democracy and human rights? Dutch sociologist Ruud Koopmans uses a lot of figures to underpin his theory that it is all down to religion. According to Daniel Bax, however, his approach is rather too simplistic

Of spirituality in a contemporary age

How to talk about spiritual matters in a highly secularised, hyper-pragmatic society? This was the question artists exhibiting at the Stamford Art Centre in Singapore grappled with during the 2020 Singapore Art Week. By Naima Morelli

Battle cry "blasphemy"

Many predominantly Muslim countries have penal laws against "blasphemy", "defamation of religion" and "apostasy". In practice they serve as highly effective weapons to settle personal animosities, family vendettas and land disputes. By Thomas Krapf

Freeing the body from conservatism

One of the most relevant Malaysian artists of her generation, Yogyakarta-based Nadiah Bamadhaj uses sculpture, drawing, collage and video to challenge the restrictive societal norms in Southeast Asian countries and explore body politics. Interview by Naima Morelli

Islamic State's latest breeding ground

A recent knife attack on the security minister of Indonesia is a reminder of the danger of Islamist extremism in Southeast Asia. Security measures alone are not enough to combat radicalisation, say experts. By Rodion Ebbighausen

Graft links to the Gulf

Newly elected Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir is adopting policies that could re-shape the southeast Asian nationʹs relations with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. By James M. Dorsey

Pew Research Center: Islam and national laws in the Muslim world