Religious and human rights groups in Malaysia are urging the government to establish a national commission to investigate religious grievances and improve policies on sensitive matters of faith, news agencies have reported.

"We cannot run from the reality that our society comprises people of various faith," said Malik Imtiaz Sarwar, who heads a committee spearheading a proposal for a National Interfaith Commission that would reportedly reflect the predominantly Muslim country's commitment to safeguard other religions.

"The fact is that conflicts exist and will cause resentment to fester if we leave them entrenched," Sarwar added.

Although religious controversies surface occasionally in the predominantly Muslim country, open friction between Muslims and non-Muslims is rare, the Associated Press reported. In the modern, progressive Southeast Asian country that prides itself on religious moderation and racial tolerance, freedom of worship is guaranteed in the constitution for the large Buddhist, Christian and Hindu minorities.

Nevertheless, activists believe the creation of a state-backed panel is necessary to probe complaints of religious rights violations and advise the government on laws to curb such abuses, said Malik, who is also the deputy president of the National Human Rights Society.

According to AP, Malik said the proposed commission would help resolve disputes such as a recent custody battle over the children of a parent who converted to another religion, a short-lived government ban on Bible published in an indigenous language, and a raid by Islamic morality police on a disco that led to the detention of dozens of Muslims for alleged indecent behaviour.

Beginning Feb. 24, representatives of dozens of private groups will hold a two-day conference to prepare the proposal. The conference, which will also be attended by foreign diplomats, is coordinated by groups including the Bar Council, which represents more than 10,000 lawyers, and the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism.

After the conference, details of the proposed commission would likely be submitted to Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

At the moment, government authorities have not formally responded to the proposal or said whether they would attend the conference.




Kenneth Chan
Ecumenical Press