The government gives Islam special status. But after that, tolerance is the watchword! Sharia, of course, does not allow non-Muslims to enjoy equal rights with Muslims.
Sharia Alert from modern, moderate Malaysia: "Islam's Official Status Provides For Special Allocations," from Bernama, December 18 (thanks to Twostellas):
TANJUNG MALIM, Dec 18 (Bernama) -- Sultan of Perak Sultan Azlan Shah on Friday said that Islam's status as the country's official religion as enshrined in the constitution and the position of the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong and Malay state rulers as heads of the religion allows for the Federal Government and State Governments to allocate spending for the matters related to the religion.He said apart from that the government also had the wisdom to meet the needs of other religions in the country.
"Religious matters are enshrined in the country's Constitution. Article 3 (1) of the Malaysian Constitution sets Islam as the official religion; but other religions can be practised in peace and harmony," he said at a function to commemorate Maal Hijrah 1431 Hijrah at the Perak-state level as well as to officiate the Masjid At-Taqwa at Proton City here.
Also present was the Raja Muda of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah.
Sultan Azlan said the constitution was drafted as an instrument of reference to governance as the country achieved independence and the consitution was not only drafted by Muslims and Malays but was drafted with agreement of various quarters who represented various races and religions.
"The spirit enshrined in Article 3 (1) of the Constitution is recognised by the country. That is why on festivals various cultures and religions are respected to the point that Malaysia has so many public holidays to respect religious and cultural events," he said.
He said the high level of tolerance and understanding displayed by Muslims and Malays as the indigenous people of the land enabled and allowed the fostering of various cultures and religions and this was the basis for Malaysia's strength as a united nation, with political stability, capable of economic growth that was effective and focused.
"Matters related to race, culture, language and religion are sensitive and can easily touch emotions. Such sensitive matters can easily lead to provocation as well as misunderstanding leading up to controversy and confrontation," he said....
Yes, all that misunderstanding can be tough.
So, how easy is it for Christians in Malaysia to seek converts to their faith among the Muslim population? Also, how many new Christian houses of worship have been constructed in Malaysia over the past decade? Ditto for other non-Musim religions on these two scores.
I was arguing with a Syrian women last year who insisted Jews were treated wonderfully in her country-- they had their own little enclave called Jew Street to prove it!
I think just the case of Lina Joy is sufficient to make nonsense of all the flowery protestations.
A Muslim Malay *cannot* safely publicly leave Islam for another religion, nor can they have that change of religion officially recognised.
When Lina Joy, formerly Muslim, now Catholic, tried to have her change of religion recorded on her identity card, the Malaysian civil courts and the sharia courts refused to permit this to happen; and she was threatened with death.
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2006/08/once-muslim-now-christian-and-caught-in-the-courts.html
Be sure to read on down through the comments: the last two comments in the thread for that article, include one by a non-Muslim Malaysian, 'tjwork'.
Both include information that demolishes the claims, often made here by apologists such as '45ch', that Malaysia is a thoroughly modern and moderate non-sharia Islamic state and everything in the garden is lovely.
Robert:
Aaa yes, the smugness that reeks through thanks to a sense of unmerited supremacism. Moslems in Malyasia are just so tolerent even though they lack self confidence about themselves.
Why is that Sultan? Care to guess?
xavier