ABSTRACT
Malay/Muslims in Singapore and Malaysia live as part of a Malayan people with a shared history, language and cultural baggage. However, the cultural identity of the Malay people has always transcended strict national boundaries. At times, the self-identification also manifests itself officially in the form of the Singaporean national registration identity card that was enacted in 1965, which documents a citizen's race. In the 2010 census, the Singapore state defines Malays as “persons of Malay or Indonesian origin, such as Javanese, Boyanese, Bugis, etc”. Mosques are one of the sites of state control in Singapore, and where the Singapore Muslim Identity ideology is actively promoted. In addition to the nurturing of the SMI project, MUIS underwent a restructuring as part of the government's broader attempt to monitor mosques and madrasahs more closely. Malay identity as manifested in the mass texts is mainly focused on spiritual and practical notions of Islam and what constitutes halal and haram behaviour.
