Indonesian ulama (e.g., from NU or Muhammadiyah) and Malaysian muftis compete for religious authority. When Malaysia’s government praised the Taliban’s dress code for women in 2021, Indonesian Muslim groups criticized it as “un-archipelagic.” Conversely, Indonesian hijrah influencers (e.g., Felix Siauw) are banned in Malaysia for allegedly spreading “radical” interpretations.
Unlike Malaysia, where the tudung was never banned, Indonesia’s Suharto regime (1966–1998) actively discouraged the jilbab in schools and government offices, viewing it as a symbol of political Islam and a threat to the secular-military state. Female students were forced to remove their veils. It was only in the post-Reformasi era (after 1998) that the jilbab exploded as a symbol of newfound religious and democratic freedom. video mesum malaysia melayu jilbab link
The conservative revival in Malaysia, symbolized by the jilbab , is linked to this klaim budaya . Some Malay nationalists argue that because Indonesia has a massive Christian and Hindu minority (Bali, Papua, North Sumatra), its Islam is "diluted." Therefore, Malaysia has the moral right to "purify" shared Malay culture. Indonesian ulama (e