DEVELOPING MALAYSIA MADANI: THE IMPACT OF GENDER AND STUDENT ORIGIN (URBAN VS. RURAL) ON LEADERSHIP, CITIZENSHIP, AND DEMOCRATIZATION IN MALAYSIAN UNIVERSITIES

The impact of gender and origin on student leadership, citizenship, and democratisation in Malaysian Islamic universities is a critical yet underexplored area in advancing the Malaysia Madani agenda. This study aims to examine how these factors influence student interactions within the unique context of Islamic higher education institutions. Data were collected from a randomly selected sample of 593 students across three Islamic universities in Malaysia using a survey methodology. Specialised questionnaires measured student leadership, citizenship, and the democratisation process, alongside demographic information. Ethical guidelines were strictly followed, and data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26. T-tests were employed to compare mean differences across gender and origin groups. The findings indicate no significant gender differences in student leadership and citizenship. However, a slight disparity was observed in democratisation, where female students reported marginally lower scores. Similarly, no significant differences were found in leadership and citizenship between urban and rural students. Nevertheless, urban students demonstrated a notably higher engagement in democratisation compared to their rural counterparts. These findings underscore the importance of tailored educational strategies to address disparities and foster inclusive leadership and democratic values in Malaysian Islamic universities. The insights from this study can inform policies aimed at ensuring equitable educational opportunities and outcomes for all students.