Trust, Society and Governance: An Islamic Perspective on Malaysian Institutions

The significance of trust cannot be overestimated for an individual or a society.Its value may become more discernible when trust is not present and its opposites suchas uncertainty, accusation and cynicism take over a person or a group. The major aim ofthis paper is to investigate the role of the Islamic worldview in building and explainingthe trust levels discovered in the survey. This paper first explores the religious dimensionsand sociological implications of the concept of trust in Islam. The elements oftrust in a host of Malaysian institutions are then analysed based on a survey conductedamong Muslim respondents. This survey was conducted across Malaysia with hundredsof Malay/Muslim respondents. It covered social, public and governmental institutions.These include parents, siblings, relatives, spiritual/religious leaders, community leaders,friends, neighbours, teachers, the military, the civil service, the legal and judiciary system,the police, local big companies, mass media, the parliament, the federal government,political leaders, and political parties. The study concluded that some levels oftrust towards certain institutions among Malaysian Muslims reflect the Islamic ideals ofa Muslim community. However, the Islamic standards demand better outcomes fromsome institutions that are not highly trusted by the Muslim respondents.