For the Years 2011 & 2012
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REPORT ON THE STATE OF RELIGIOUS LIBERTY IN MALAYSIA FOR THE YEARS 2011 & 2012 Prepared by the Religious Liberty Commission National Evangelical Christian Fellowship Malaysia 2 Contents 1. BACKGROUND TO THE TWO YEARS UNDER REVIEW ......................................................................... 3 2. MALAYSIA’S BASIS FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY ...................................................................................... 5 3. THE ISLAMISATION AGENDA .............................................................................................................. 7 4. 2011 - ISSUES AFFECTING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ............................................................................... 8 4.1 Right to Profess .......................................................................................................................... 8 4.1.1 Conversion .................................................................................................................................................................. 8 4.1.2 Disputed Religious Status .................................................................................................................................. 10 4.1.3 Body Tussle cases .................................................................................................................................................. 10 4.1.4 Against Non-Orthodox Muslims ....................................................................................................................... 11 4.2 Right to Practice ....................................................................................................................... 12 4.2.1 Demolition of Non-Muslim places of worship ............................................................................................ 12 4.2.2 Places of Worship .................................................................................................................................................. 13 4.2.3 Ridiculing Christianity ........................................................................................................................................ 14 4.3 Right to Propagate ................................................................................................................... 16 4.4 Restriction on other religions .................................................................................................. 17 4.5 Islamism ................................................................................................................................... 25 5. 2012 - ISSUES AFFECTING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ............................................................................. 29 5.1 Right to Profess ........................................................................................................................ 29 5.1.1 Malays to be Muslims ........................................................................................................................................... 29 5.1.2 Conversion of minors without parental consent ....................................................................................... 29 5.1.3 MyKad Islamisation of Bumiputra Christians ............................................................................................ 29 5.1.4 Body tussle cases ................................................................................................................................................... 31 5.1.5 Against non-orthodox Muslims ........................................................................................................................ 31 5.2 Right to Practice ....................................................................................................................... 31 5.2.1 The “Allah issue” .................................................................................................................................................... 31 5.2.2 Compulsory Acquisition of Non-Muslim places of worship ................................................................... 32 5.2.3 Outrage over Christian worship song ........................................................................................................... 32 5.2.4 Restrictions on visits to Jerusalem .................................................................................................................. 33 5.2.5 Orang Asli children slapped in Kelantan ..................................................................................................... 33 5.3 Right to Propogate ................................................................................................................... 34 5.3.1 Proselytisation ........................................................................................................................................................ 34 5.4 Islamism ................................................................................................................................... 36 5.4.1 Extension of Islamic values and moral code over the public and personal spheres ................... 36 5.4.2 Islamism and conflict of the legal order ....................................................................................................... 36 5.5 Allegations against the Christian community .......................................................................... 39 5.5.1 Setting the context: Run-up to the 13th General Election ...................................................................... 39 5.5.2 Allegations of conspiracy to create a Christian state ............................................................................. 39 5.5.3 Allegations of non-Muslims “belittling” Islam ........................................................................................... 40 6. CONCLUSION AND PROPOSAL ......................................................................................................... 41 2 3 1. BACKGROUND TO THE TWO YEARS UNDER REVIEW 2011 and 2012 witnessed a number of tense situations in Malaysia, with particular reference to the state of religious freedom. Numerous delays of a highly anticipated general election, which was eventually held in 2013, exacerbated the situation. As the government tried to walk the fine line between balancing religious freedom and political expediency, it failed to respond to issues important to certain religious communities, resulting in a deafening silence on the government’s part on many occasions. This period was challenging for the Christian community. There were baseless allegations and false reports that accused Christians of proselytising Muslims, and of attempts to change the constitution and even of encouraging immoral conduct such as prostitution among Christians, thereby polluting the country and Islam. Perkasa president, Ibrahim Ali, was said to have threatened to wage a crusade against Christians if the Christian community "continued to challenge Islam's position in the country". He also accused Christians of "challenging the sovereignty and dignity of Malays and Muslims.” Catholic Bishop, Dr. Paul Tan, in refuting the above, has said that Malaysians should learn about each other’s religion and urged the authorities to prevent the spreading of lies about the beliefs of other religions. Similarly, Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM) General Secretary, Rev. Herman Shashtri, has said that respected and responsible newspapers must keep away from callous and insensitive reporting which may destroy religious harmony in Malaysia. This NECF report on the state of religious liberty over the two-year period will show that the Christian community in Malaysia has been singled out and maligned with the intention to create political, racial and religious disharmony. The Christian community has always cooperated with the government as well as with other communities to maintain peace and harmony amongst Malaysia’s people of all races. Christians have done this from the time of Malaya’s independence from the British and have even contributed to the well-being of society through institutions such as mission schools. Christians in Malaysia, like any other Malaysian, are not demanding anything beyond our constitutional and fundamental rights. 3 4 A study on 198 countries by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life shows that from 2006 to 2009, Malaysia was in the list of top 10 of countries with some of the highest government-led restrictions on different religions. Malaysia is also fifth in recording substantial increases in such restrictions. Several incidents could have contributed to this unwanted ranking such as the seizure of Christian-related books and CDs, the ban on the use of the word ‘Allah’ in Christian publications, actions by the Islamic authorities on the Wahabbi and Shia sects, arrest of former Perlis mufti, Mohd Asri Zainal Abidin, and complaints of demolition of Hindu temples, among others. That being said, the CCM has reaffirmed its stand on the freedom of religion and maintained that there should be no restrictions, proscriptions or prohibitions on the Bible and the choice of language used in the practice of the religion. The CCM has urged the Government to remove every impediment to the importation, publication, distribution and to protect the right to use the Alkitab. This includes revoking orders under the Internal Security Act (ISA) which declared the Alkitab as a threat to national security. The Christian community has collectively decried the action by the Ministry of Home Affairs