Malaysia's government is open to the idea of setting up a commission to settle disputes related to religion in this multi-faith country, a minister said Thursday, rejecting the fears of conservative Muslims that the plan could undermine Islam.
Culture and Heritage Minister Rais Yatim said more efforts were needed to boost religious harmony in this mostly Muslim nation, and acknowledged that there were few avenues to resolve conflicts between the law and religion.
"Some of us may be aghast to note there are yet areas which ooze with practices that may equate inequality," Rais told a meeting of private groups that want a panel to advise the government on religious policies.
In recent years, a number of such disputes have arisen: a custody battle over the children of a parent who changed his religion; a short-lived ban on Bibles in an indigenous language; and a raid on a disco where scores of Muslims claimed they were unfairly detained by Islamic morality police for indecent behaviour.
Malaysian laws are vague on whether the actions of the people involved in the disputes were right or wrong.
However, Rais stopped short of committing to setting up the panel, only saying that the government would study the proposal. He said representatives of major religions must agree on what specific purpose and powers such a panel should have.
"We do know how arduous it is to turn intent into policy and intent into law," Rais said. "But we're trying to find a solution ... that would make Malaysia a better place to live."
Religion is a sensitive issue in Malaysia, where ethnic Malay Muslims form about 60 per cent of the 25 million population. Freedom of worship is guaranteed in the constitution for the large Buddhist, Christian and Hindu minorities from Chinese and Indian races.
Many Muslim groups staunchly oppose the proposal for a state-backed commission, fearing it might encroach on the jurisdiction of Islamic courts and enforcement authorities.
"It is likely that this commission would meddle with the internal issues of religions, especially Islam," the Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia said in a statement.
"This would harm the sensitivities of religious followers and jeopardise religious harmony."
Others worry the commission might attempt to legitimise apostasy. There are no clear legal procedures for Malaysian Muslims to legally renounce their religion, while Islamic courts have previously sentenced some apostates to prison on charges of deviant teachings.
Rais said ultraconservative Muslims have nothing to fear. "We have to be open minded. We should not be terrified of ideas," he said.
"An ultra Muslim may regard my being here as something that is not within the prime or mainstream inner thoughts," he said. "To those in that frame of mind, I just offer the age-old wisdom: Any lifting of a finger to make mankind more cooperative toward understanding each other is worth the effort."