SUARGA : Studi Keberagamaan dan Keberagaman
Vol. 5 No. 1 (2026): Religious Inclusivity, Cultural Resilience, and Contemporary Social Dynamics in

Sikhism in Malaysia: Negotiating Tradition, Identity and Belonging in a Muslim-Majority Country

Charanjit Kaur (Department of General Studies, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman)
Ashwinder Kaur (Department of General Studies, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman Malaysia)
Parveenpal Kaur (Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman Malaysia)



Article Info

Publish Date
30 Jun 2026

Abstract

This paper explores how the Sikh community in Malaysia navigates its religious identity, cultural traditions and sense of belonging within a Muslim-majority society. Drawing upon sociological perspectives, the study examines the lived experiences of Malaysian Sikhs as they balance historical continuity, religious observance and contemporary pressures of integration. Through a combination of historical reflection and qualitative insights, it highlights how Sikh individuals and institutions engage in dynamic negotiations by retaining core traditions such as the turban, the gurdwara and Panjabi language while also adapting to national expectations, educational systems and multicultural policies. These negotiations are situated within broader frameworks of diaspora identity, minority religious experience in plural societies and cultural resilience, with particular attention to generational shifts in identity expression. By analyzing the strategies Sikhs employ to maintain distinctiveness while fostering national belonging, this paper contributes to the broader discourse on religious minorities in Southeast Asia and the evolving meaning of multicultural citizenship in Malaysia.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

suarga

Publisher

Subject

Religion Humanities

Description

Journal SUARGA: Studi Keberagamaan dan Keberagaman is open access and double blind-reviewed journal published by the Faculty of Ushuluddin, Adab and Humanities, Prof. K.H. Saifuddin Zuhri State Islamic University. This journal publishes the research focus on religions and multiculturalism. Journal ...