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Malaysia criticized for ‘grave violations’ against secularists

Hate speech, persecution continue to ratchet up racial tensions
Malaysia criticized for ‘grave violations’ against secularists

Prime Minister Najib Razak’s speech in May against secularism and liberalism as a threat towards Islam and the state can be seen as a violation against humanist values (Photo by the Malaysian Insider)

Published: December 10, 2014 04:52 AM GMT
Updated: December 09, 2014 04:52 PM GMT

Malaysia has been given a “grave violations” rating by the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) for its treatment of secularists as well as its fraying race relations which have ratcheted up tensions.

In its latest edition of the Freedom of Thought report published Wednesday, the global umbrella body for humanist values also cited Prime Minister Najib Razak's speech in May against secularism and liberalism as a threat towards Islam and the state.

Najib had branded humanism, secularism and liberalism as "deviant" and a threat to Islam and the state, and had declared the country would not allow any Muslims the right to apostasy.

"This country is found to be declining due to alienating rhetoric against 'atheists' and 'humanists' voiced in 2014 by the prime minister, as well as ongoing legal disputes over the freedoms of religious minorities contributing to inter-religious tension," it said.

A rating of “grave violations” is the highest among the five ratings in the report.

The ratings are arrived at after looking into five areas of interest, namely education; general systemic issue; freedom of thought; conscience, religion or belief, establishment of religion; family, community, religious courts and tribunals; and expression, advocacy of humanist values.

Malaysia's existing Islamic laws, including apostasy — which has been made a capital offence in certain states — as well as a ban on the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims were cited in the report.

The Freedom of Thought Report annually surveys and rates every country in the world for anti-atheist persecution.

It found almost all countries discriminated against the non-religious, in some cases through religious privilege or legal exemptions, with the worst countries taking children from atheist parents, or with laws mandating death sentences for “apostates”.

"This year will be marked by a surge in this phenomenon of state officials and political leaders agitating specifically against non-religious people, just because they have no religious beliefs, in terms that would normally be associated with hate speech or social persecution against ethnic or religious minorities," it said.

Amid worsening race and religious relations in Malaysia, a group of 25 prominent Malays had published an open letter asking for a rational dialogue on the position of Islam in a constitutional democracy.

"Given the impact of such vitriolic rhetoric on race relations and the political stability of this country, we feel it is incumbent on us to take a public position," said Noor Farida Ariffin, a former Malaysian ambassador to the Netherlands, in a statement issued on behalf of the 25 signatories.

The letter decried the "lack of clarity and understanding" on the place of Islam within Malaysia's constitutional democracy, as well as a "serious breakdown of federal-state division of powers, both in the areas of civil and criminal jurisdictions".

It also expressed concern at how religious authorities were "asserting authority beyond their jurisdiction" and that fatwa issued had violated the Federal Constitution as well as the consultative process.

The signatories also rejected "supremacist" groups which accused and labeled their detractors as being anti-Islam, anti-monarchy and anti-Malay, noting that such labeling had made "rational discussion and conflict resolution difficult".

The letter also noted the use of the Sedition act, which it said was "a constant threat to silence anyone with a contrary opinion".

Among the proposals it recommended was the need to promote awareness about the diversity of views and interpretations in Islam.

They also called on Najib, as prime minister, to "assert his personal leadership".

The letter comes at a time when race relations and religious sentiments have frayed further after the 13th general election last year when the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition blamed its losses on the Chinese.

Critics have also accused Najib of pandering more to conservative views in his party, Umno, to remain in power.

 

Original Story: Malaysia cited for ‘grave violations’ in treatment against secularists

Source: The Malaysian Insider

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