馬來西亞一部分華人選擇信仰伊斯蘭教,加入馬來族群,這種身份轉換從表面看是經濟利益驅動所致,即他們希望借助族群身份的轉換享受國家給予土著的優惠政策;然而,我們的調查研究發現,這種轉換實際上呈現出一種族群認同和國家認同的斷裂和沖突。一方面這些馬來西亞華人已經加入信仰伊斯蘭教的土著族群,一方面他們又與土著不同,這個悖論揭示出馬來西亞華人穆斯林身份轉換的目的并非單純的基于經濟因素的考量,也是為了追求社會公正和人格尊嚴。

The Malaysian Chinese chose to believe in Islam and joined the ethnic group of Malays. Superficially the conversion of identity is driven by economic interests that they hope to enjoy the state’s preferential policies given to indigenous communities by converting their identity. However,observationally,the conversion is brought about by fractures and conflicts of ethnic and national identities. On the one hand they have joined Muslim indigenous communities; on the other hand they are non-indigenous. This paradox reveals a profound truth that the identity transformation of Chinese Muslims in Malaysia aimed at not only economic factors,but also social justice and human dignity.