PAS and the “Green Wave”: Islamic Politics in Malaysia’s Plural Society

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As of November 2025 draws to a close, Malaysia’s political landscape remains dominated by one phrase: the “Green Wave.” Coined after the 2022 general election (GE15), when Parti Islam Se-Malaysia (PAS) – whose party colour is green – surged to become the single largest party in Parliament with 43 seats (later increased to 49 through defections and by-elections), the term describes the rapid rise of conservative Islamic politics in a country long praised (and criticised) for its multi-ethnic, multi-religious balancing act.

Three years on, the wave has not receded. PAS now governs four states – Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, and Perlis – with near-total control in the first three, and it leads the federal opposition coalition Perikatan Nasional (PN). Yet the question that still divides analysts, voters, and the commentariat is simple: does the Green Wave represent a genuine, irreversible turn toward political Islam in Malaysia, or is it mostly a protest vote wrapped in religious clothing?

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