Blog Post
Navigating Pluralism in Malaysia: Insights and Challenges from Key Dialogues
Exploring Malaysia's diverse landscape: Balancing pluralism and identity politics in a rapidly changing society.
Malaysia has long been touted as a success story of diversity. The country leans into this identity as the foundation of their society – unity amid diversity. The signs of this pride are everywhere, whether it be driving through the capital and being greeted by Kuala Lumpur’s welcome sign proclaiming “Kuala Lumpur: A City of Contrasts & Diversity”, to their world-famous food culture that represents the coming together of its ethnic, regional, religious, and linguistic differences. However, the once accepted social tension underneath the existence of diversity has come to the fore as identity politics seek to change institutions and society to reflect the supremacy of one group.
All of this makes Malaysia a fascinating subject of assessment for the Global Pluralism Monitor as it provides a comprehensive picture of the true state of diversity across institutional mechanisms, societal relations and inequalities. The Global Centre for Pluralism sought out a partnership that would provide expertise on the challenges around diversity while providing connections to stakeholders working in this space. The All-Parliamentary Group Malaysia on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (APPGM SDG), an organization that brings together parliamentarians to locals SDG goals and projects, fit these requirements and were instrumental to the Centre’s ability to increase awareness of the Monitor report and tool in Malaysia and network with organizations supporting pluralism.
The Centre first met with renowned Malaysian Constitutional law expert, Professor Shad Saleem Faruqi, who shared his feedback on how Malaysia’s constitution is an institutional mechanism that promotes and protects pluralism, and the challenges the constitution is facing from the current government and critics that do not appreciate its secular nature. The next meeting at the Institute of Ethnic Studies led by Prof. Datuk Dr. Shamsul Amri Baharuddin Prof Shamsul, who serves as Unity Advisor to the Ministry of National Unity, provided a different perspective – one that was more in line with government initiatives with an alternative understanding of pluralism and how it operates in Malaysia.
The Centre recognizes sexual and gender diversity as aspects of pluralism. However, these types of diversity are not explicitly examined in the Monitor reports. To acknowledge the need for more attention on this issue, meeting with organizations working in this area has become a priority of the Centre. Therefore, we were pleased to meet with Justice for Sisters, a grassroots organization that raises public awareness on violence and persecution against the LGBTQIA+ community in Malaysia. Justice for Sisters were intrigued with the Monitor framework and could foresee a project assessing how their diversity is being treated institutionally and socially as benefiting their work in the future.
The Monitor: Malaysia Report examines on ethnic, racial, and religion diversity lines, therefore it was of utmost importance to meet with Pusat KOMAS, a leader in the area human rights, democracy, anti-racism, anti-discrimination since 1993. KOMAS echoed the findings of the Monitor: Malaysia report and provided advice on how to utilize the report and methodology with other stakeholders.
Centre staff then travelled to Kuching, Sarawak to present at our partner’s annual SDG conference. The theme of building inclusive communities offered the perfect forum to share the findings and methodology of the Monitor: Malaysia report.
As the goal of the Monitor tool is long term policy change, it is essential that the Centre meet with members of government with portfolios related to pluralism. Therefore, the Centre was grateful to meet with YB Dato’ Sri Azalina Binti Othman Said, from the Prime Minister’s Office -Legal Affairs Division. YB Dato and her colleagues were interested in providing updates on Monitor findings to reflect the current political landscape as well as exploring the Monitor Methodology more closely to identify its potential as a tool for their office.
Keeping with our objective to meet with individuals and organizations outside of Kuala Lumpur, Centre staff set up meetings in Kelantan, a state known for being more conservative, Islamic Party of Malaysia stronghold. However, despite preconceived notions from other Malaysians and outsiders, Kelantan provides many examples of pluralism in action.
A significant dialogue on September 5, 2023 with representatives from the Kelantan State Government focused on how the state accommodates diversity. The state representatives viewed the integration of the minority population as a success. However, they were skeptical of the GCP’s methodology, perceiving pluralism as an imposition of liberal ideals on an Islamic society. This highlights the delicate balance needed in promoting pluralism in such contexts.
Field visits on September 5 and 6 to a Siamese Village and the Sultan Ismail Petra Mosque offered a tangible glimpse into pluralism in practice. The Siamese Village exemplifies a unique blend of cultural preservation and community unity, while the mosque, with its Chinese architectural influence, symbolizes the harmony between the Chinese and Muslim populations in Kelantan.
To account for religious diversity in Malaysia the Centre met with leaders from the multiple faith groups in the county that make up the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Taoism (MCCBCHST). The MCCBCHST brings together leaders from various faiths, to ensure that their differences contribute to a richer, more inclusive community. The discussion revealed a concerning trend: the number of people practicing minority religions in Malaysia is decreasing. This decline is particularly significant in the current political climate, where the emphasis on one dominant religion has led to increased marginalization of minority faiths. The leaders also highlighted the fact that Muslim leaders refuse to participate in MCCBCHST, and this has created a gap in the dialogue process. Without Muslim leaders in the roundtable discussions, it limits the Council’s ability to fully address the religious dynamics in Malaysia. Additionally, the Council’s work is under constant scrutiny, with leaders being monitored by the police and facing the threat of arrest for their activities.
The Centre’s participation in the Malaysian Youth SDG Summit on September 9 allowed for direct engagement with the youth on issues of diversity and pluralism. The event highlighted the enthusiasm and interest among Malaysia’s younger generation in these topics. On the same day, a dialogue with civil society representatives provided critical feedback, emphasizing the vulnerability of CSOs in the current political climate.
The series of meetings and dialogues conducted by the Centre in Malaysia reveal both the opportunities and challenges in promoting pluralism in a complex and rapidly changing environment. While there is a recognition of the importance of diversity, the rise of Islamization and resistance to perceived Western ideals pose significant challenges. Moving forward, the Centre must navigate these complexities with cultural sensitivity, leveraging the relationships and insights gained to foster a more inclusive and pluralistic society in Malaysia.