Are Racism Discrimination Roots Of Terrorism

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Terrorism is not born in a vacuum. Behind every act of ideological violence lies a history of grievance, social injustice, and identity politics.
While the world often focuses on religion or geopolitical strife as the root causes of terrorism, a more insidious and deeply embedded trigger is often overlooked: racism and discrimination.
These factors, when left unaddressed, do not just isolate communities; they push individuals to the edge, where violence becomes a form of expression.
This is especially dangerous when such sentiments are stoked deliberately by those in power.
In Malaysia, the “2R” issue of race and religion has become increasingly volatile. Some politicians and hate preachers have, at times, exploited these identities to rally support, marginalise minorities, and sow distrust.
In a multiracial country where national unity is always a work in progress, such tactics can have disastrous long-term consequences.
When race and religion are weaponised for political gain, they do more than divide; they radicalise.
2R politics and social polarisation
In recent years, several Malaysian politicians have openly engaged in racially charged rhetoric, often portraying the majority group as under threat or blaming minorities for economic and cultural decline.
Simultaneously, certain preachers have disseminated sermons portraying other religions and races as inferior, untrustworthy, or even enemies of the faith.
This rhetoric does more than just poison the national discourse; it normalises racism and religious supremacy, especially among youth who are searching for identity and belonging.
This is particularly dangerous in online spaces, where echo chambers amplify hate speech and conspiracy theories.
When combined with frustrations over unemployment, disenfranchisement, or lack of direction, young people can become radicalised, not necessarily into international terrorist networks like ISIS or al-Qaeda, but into violent ethnonationalist or supremacist ideologies.
Racism as radicalisation: Lessons from abroad
The Christchurch Mosque shooting in New Zealand (2019), where a white supremacist murdered 51 Muslims during prayer, was driven by a theory of racial replacement, a belief that immigrants were eroding white identity.
Similar motives drove the Buffalo supermarket shooting (2022), which targeted African Americans in New York, and the Norwegian mass killings by Anders Breivik.
In these cases, terrorism was not imported from foreign ideologies; it was homegrown, fuelled by racism, fear, and false narratives of victimhood.
Malaysia is not immune. The 2018 temple riots in Subang Jaya, the racial clashes of past decades, and hate-filled “ceramahs” by religious figures all demonstrate that we, too, have a volatile undercurrent of racial tension.
The 2018 temple riot in Subang JayaWhile Malaysia has not experienced large-scale domestic terrorism linked to 2R rhetoric, the conditions that foster such extremism are not foreign to us.
When discrimination breeds desperation
Globally, marginalised groups often face daily humiliation and structural exclusion, which can turn simmering resentment into rage.
In France, the Muslim communities of North African descent living in suburban banlieues are frequently subjected to aggressive policing and social exclusion.
Many of the Charlie Hebdo and Bataclan attackers were second-generation citizens who grew up feeling alienated from French society.
Radicalisation, in these cases, was born out of racism and rejection.
Likewise, in Myanmar, decades of ethnic discrimination and state-sponsored racism against the Rohingya Muslims culminated in the rise of militant groups like the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army.
MyanmarThough these groups never reached the scale of global jihadist movements, their emergence shows how persistent racial oppression can transform victims into armed actors.
Even Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers (LTTE) were not born of ideology alone but of prolonged marginalisation by a Sinhalese-majority state.
Racism and exclusion, when institutionalised, become breeding grounds for extremism.
Malaysia’s 2R dilemma: A preventable crisis
The Malaysian government has rightly taken steps to curb religious and racial extremism, such as prosecuting those who incite hatred under laws like the Sedition Act and Section 298A of the Penal Code.
However, legal deterrents alone are not enough. What is urgently needed is a political and social commitment to dismantle the structures that enable racism and discrimination to flourish, including among political elites.
When some national leaders engage in dog-whistle politics, suggesting that certain communities are “pendatang” (outsiders) or that others are undermining Islam, they plant seeds of distrust.
When some preachers claim superiority of one race or religion over another, they create an atmosphere where violence seems justifiable to those on the fringes.
Left unchecked, such rhetoric becomes normalised in schools, workplaces, and even state institutions.
Youth who grow up in this environment may begin to see other Malaysians not as equals, but as threats.
This is how radicalisation begins, not with a bomb or a gun, but with a word, a sermon, a campaign speech.
Countering racism to prevent extremism
To combat terrorism effectively, it is essential to address the underlying conditions that facilitate its proliferation.
This necessitates a comprehensive approach that includes educational reforms aimed at fostering critical thinking, civic responsibility, and mutual respect among diverse racial and religious groups.
Furthermore, there must be a commitment to media accountability to prevent the amplification or legitimisation of hate speech.
Political leaders should be held accountable for their actions, particularly those who exploit racial and religious divisions for personal gain.
Additionally, community engagement initiatives that encourage intercultural dialogue are vital in preventing radicalisation at the grassroots level.
Malaysia’s diverse population should be viewed as a source of strength rather than a vulnerability to be manipulated for power.
Failing to address the impact of racism and discrimination on the rise of extremism could lead to a generation of Malaysians who are increasingly divided, filled with animosity, and susceptible to violence.
Racism and discrimination are not merely social ills; they are national security threats.
When embedded in the rhetoric of politicians and preachers, they do more than offend, they radicalise.
Malaysia must take a long, hard look at how the “2R” issues are being weaponised, especially in our political landscape.
Because the true danger is not just in the loud extremists, but in the quiet normalisation of hate that makes terrorism seem, to some, like justice. - Mkini
R PANEIR SELVAM is the principal consultant of Arunachala Research & Consultancy Sdn Bhd, a think tank specialising in strategic national and geopolitical matters.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.

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