KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, August 8, 2007: An ecumenical council bringing together Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and Taoists recently met with the Parliamentary Select Committee that represented the political parties in Malaysia to express their concerns over freedom of religion in Malaysia. The Council believes the “fundamental reason for our harmonious co-existence has been the mutual respect we display for each other, in our understanding of different religious practices and requirements and in our live and let live policy generally when faced with inconveniences placed on our respective religions. The fundamentals of our respective faiths have never wavered but we have been able to accommodate some of the more stringent requirements of outward practice in order to live together in peace. This has also been possible because the Government has considered itself secular (in the sense that it did not discriminate against other religions and only assisted Islam in the very limited scope authorized by the Federal Constitution.) The most crucial and urgent problem causing disunity today: Infringements of the fundamental liberty to profess and practice one’s religion in peace and harmony by the so-called ‘Illumination’ of all branches of government and the civil service.”
This long and detailed account of their concerns on the Islamization of Malaysia’s multi-cultural society and secular government can be read at source.