源於十九世紀英國殖民的種族隔離政策，馬來西亞在二十世紀中歷經獨立建國、界定族群地位之紛爭，因此在其社會之各層面，族群關係與界定都具有極重要的政治意義。在此脈絡下，伊斯蘭長期以來被建構為馬來族群認同的指標，將伊斯蘭信仰等同於馬來族群認同之論述層出不窮，並直接造成了非馬來裔穆斯林改宗者的認同問題。本文以Michel Foucault對論述（discourse）與權力的討論為根基，將馬來西亞華人穆斯林對傳統族群劃分之挑戰視為一種對社會意義爭取再定義的嘗試。我並運用Judith Butler的行為展演理論（theory of performativity）來檢視華人穆斯林對其身分認同所做的努力。在個人身分認同方面，馬華穆斯林透過某些稍具爭議性的選擇與行為，希望藉此引起馬來社群之反思，並進而達到倡導伊斯蘭普世論（Universalism）的目的。另一方面，共同經驗與敘事（narrative）建構則為馬華穆斯林的集體認同提供了重要的根基。

In Malaysia, Islam has long been constructed as the core of Malay ethnic identity, and the equation between Islam and Malay-ness has been made in discussion of various topics and in service of various agendas. As a result, non-Malay Muslim converts are often faced with confusion and frustration as they are expected to take up Malay ethnicity upon conversion to Islam. This paper examines the challenge posed by Chinese Muslim converts to the conventional Islam-Malay equation, and suggests that it is an attempt, or a power struggle in a Foucaudian sense, to insert an alternative voice in the hegemonic public discourse. To understand the negotiation of personal identity against the social paradigm, Judith Butler's theory of performativity will be employed to examine the day-to-day practices/performances of Chinese converts in Penang. Furthermore, I argue that the collective identity of Chinese Muslim converts is formed not through common cultural background but through constant telling and modifying of shared conversion experience and memory.