Muslim and Regional Integration

What I have been studying in class this week is about Islam and globalisation. There are so many lines that separate Muslim thought from the Modern world; I would suggest the modern world is based on the European values which developed from Christianity. However, the point I am making is while the contemporary societies are able to adapt themselves to globalisation, many Islamic societies found difficulty. It may be because of the religion's charactoristic which has a very strong social structure. For now, I am a unknowledgeable student in this field. I am really wonder whether it is true that Islamic charactor does not support multi-culturalism and regional integration. For the sake of ASEAN which has its muslim members as the majority, I do really want to be able to answer such a religion matter ( which many people do not wish to talk about).

General Election in Malaysia 2008

RESULTS AT GLANCE
PARLIAMENT
BN
140
OPPOSITION
82
INDEPENDENT
0

STATE
BN
307
OPPOSITION
196
INDEPENDENT
2

What's a surprise for the recently M'sia election result. Before the election, many Malaysians complained to me that their politic was really really boring. The Barison National(BN) always won elections and ruled the country. Do you know M'sia has only 4 prime minister during 50 years of independent! Only Dr. Mahathir himself ruled this Fed around 20 years. Wow.... a surprise for Thais who always change their PM every 2-3 years; either throught election or coup d'etat lah..

The environment before the GE was quite boring and quiet, from my sight as a Thai, rather than actively participated by the people. I am not quite sure why but many people said that they were not interested in the politic. Some even did not go to the ballocts because they thought that it could not change anything. BN still won and the oppositions would depressed as usual.
According to the last election, the opposition parties won only in norther states: Kalantan Traganu where the majority are muslims. However, the recent election turned out to be a disaster for BN, especiallly for the UMNO. They lost almost all of the northern states; Kedah, Penang, Kalantan, Tranganu. Even in Salangor which is considered as a middle part, KL is inside Salangor, was lost to the opposition. What's a mass for BN lah.

Nevertheless, I think that it is better for M'sia to have a stronger opposition. Once they was able to keep opps's mouths shut, people lost their freedom of expression too. From now I think that M'sia politic is so interesting lah kap....:)