IDENTITY POLITICS AND LOCAL POLITICAL REPRESENTATION BASED ON THE ADAT BASANDI SYARA’ PHILOSOPHY IN INDONESIAN DEMOCRACY AMONG MINANGKABAU AND MALAY COMMUNITIES

Abstract

Identity politics remains a defining feature of local democratic practices in Indonesia, particularly in regions where cultural and religious norms strongly shape political behavior. This study examines how the Adat Basandi Syara’ philosophy functions as a normative foundation for political representation among Minangkabau and Malay communities. It aims to critically analyze the ways in which shared adat–Islamic values influence patterns of local political representation and democratic legitimacy. Using a qualitative comparative approach, this study draws on secondary data from scholarly publications, official documents, and media reports related to local politics in West Sumatra and Malay regions. The findings indicate that Adat Basandi Syara’ is frequently mobilized as a symbolic resource to legitimize political authority; however, its interpretation is often selectively shaped by political elites. Rather than fostering substantive representation, such identity-based narratives tend to reinforce symbolic inclusion and elite domination. This study contributes to debates on Indonesian democracy by demonstrating that culturally rooted identity politics may simultaneously promote social cohesion and reproduce political exclusion within plural democratic settings.