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this page Inter Faith in Action - Perspectives
Inter Faith Dialogue and Mission in Malaysia
1. Introduction
One of the distinctive features of Malaysia is the great diversity of its peoples and cultures. Although the people have some common physical, mental and cultural characteristics, there are important differences among the various ethnic groups and peoples, especially in language and religion. The uniqueness and distinctiveness of Malaysia’s history, multi-racial population, religions and languages are not only seen as assets but have also become creative challenges in a pluralistic society.
2. The ‘Melting Pot’: Ethnic, Cultural and Religious Pluralism in Malaysia
Malaysia is a secular federation comprising eleven states in the Peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak in East Malaysia and the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Labuan. Successive periods of European colonisation entered the Malay peninsular beginning with the Portuguese in 1511, followed by the Dutch (1641-1824) and finally the British from the nineteenth century up to Malayan Independence in 1957.
The current total population of Malaysia is about 23.27 million[1] with about 75% of them living in Peninsula Malaysia. The most outstanding characteristic of the population is its highly variegated ethnic mix. This feature makes it one of the prime examples of a multi-racial society in the world.
Generally speaking, Malaysians can be classified into two main categories: those with cultural affinities indigenous to the region and to one another, who are known as bumiputera (lit. 'sons of the soil'); and the non-bumiputera whose cultural affinities lie outside of the region. The bumiputera groups themselves, comprising 65.1% of the population, are highly differentiated. There are three broad categories: the aborigines (orang asli); Malays; and Malay-related.
Malays include those who have settled in the country (mainly in the Malay Peninsula) since the 19th century such as the Javanese, the Banjarese, Boyanese, Bugis, Bajau and Minangkabau. The third or non-Malay bumiputera category consists of ethnic groups found in Sarawak and Sabah. They are the Iban, the Bidayuh, the Melanau, Kenyah, Kayan and Bisayuh in Sarawak. In Sabah, the Kadazandusun form the largest single ethnic group with the Murut, Kelabit, and Kedayan forming significant minorities.
The non-bumiputera groups consist mainly of the Chinese (26.0%) and Indians (7.7%), with much smaller communities made up of Arabs, Sinhalese, Eurasians and Europeans. The Chinese population of Malaysia is derived largely from South China, with the Cantonese and Hokkien forming the largest dialect groups. Amongst the Indians, the largest group are the Tamils from South India and Sri Lanka, with significant Punjabi and Malayalee minorities.
Southeast Asia has been called “the cross-roads of religions”. Religion is highly correlated with ethnicity and almost all of the major religions of the world have substantial representation in Malaysia. At present, Islam is the most widely professed faith in Malaysia with about 60.4% [58.6%][2] of the total population made up of Muslims. Nearly all Malays are Muslim, along with Tamil, Malayali, Gujarati and Punjabi Muslims, and around 20 per cent of the tribal peoples, thus making Islam the dominant religion. Christians form 9.1% [8.0%]; Hindus 6.3% [6.4%]; Buddhists 19.2% [18.4%]; Confucianists/Taoists/other traditional Chinese religionists 2.6% [5.3%]; Folk/Tribal Animistic Religionists 1.2% and Others 2.1% of the total population.[3]
Although the total Christian population is about nine percent, in the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak this rises to about 40 per cent. In Malaysia, there are some 400,000 Roman Catholics, 150,000 Methodists, 80,000 Anglicans, and around 200,000 other Christians, including fast growing Pentecostal and independent neo-charismatic churches.[4] A study found that there are 4,553 Christian churches in the nation, 3,113 of which can be considered Evangelical.
The Muslims are mainly of the Sunni stream, adhering to the Shafii school of law. However, Shi`ite elements are evident, and Malays are attracted to the mystical aspects of Sufism. The Chinese mainly practise Chinese folk religion, with ancestor veneration rituals, and elements drawn from Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism. The Indians are mainly Hindus, mostly Saivas, though with some Vaishnavas among immigrant groups with roots in northern India. There are also small, well-knit communities of Sikhs in most urban centres.
3. Religious Freedom and the Position of Islam in the Constitution
Since achieving independence in 1957, Islam has been the official religion of the Federation of Malaya. This does not in any way suggest that Malaysia is an Islamic state. While the Malaysian Constitution recognises the government’s obligation towards Islam, it also pledges to uphold freedom of worship and to allow non-Muslims to practise their own religions.[5] The issue of religious freedom and the position of Islam in Malaysia provides for a most pertinent and interesting illustration of the interaction between religion, politics and socio-economic factors in the modern world.
4. The Rukunegara and Vision 2020
A set of principles known as the Rukunegara (or the National Ideology) serves as a guide to peaceful and harmonious living in Malaysia. The following is the set of articles/principles formulated as an endeavour to bring about national unity among Malaysia’s multi-racial, multi-ethnic and multi-religious society:
- Belief in God
- Loyalty to King and country
- Upholding the Constitution
- Rule of law and
- Good behaviour and morality.
The year 1990 marked the end of the New Economic Policy (NEP) and the formulation of Vision 2020. Malaysia intends being a fully industrialised and developed nation by the year 2020. Vision 2020 provides the basis for the development of a Malaysian society within the context of accelerated industrialisation and the internationalisation of the Malaysian economy anchored in the principles of the Rukunegara. Within the ambit of the shaping of the common Malaysian identity and destiny, the Rukunegara and Vision 2020, will occupy cardinal reference points.
5. Ecumenism in Malaysia
When Malaya achieved independence in 1957 the churches began to show signs of 'nationalisation' by moving from expatriate to local leadership. The Malayan Christian Coucil, inaugurated in 1948 later became the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM) in 1975.
The National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) brought together a vast variety of non-mainline evangelical denominations and congregations to form a new ecumenical body in 1983.
The Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) was established in 1985. The CFM brought together three major streams of Christianity - the Roman Catholic Church, the Churches affiliated to the CCM and the NECF. There was the need for a more broad-based ecumenical body and a unified voice in dealing with the government as well as other religious and secular bodies in the country. The primary challenge facing ecumenism in Malaysia is in relating Malaysian churches to local cultures and traditions.
6. Interfaith Groups in Malaysia
Interfaith interaction and engagement in Malaysia can be noticed at three distinct levels:
- as religious, hierarchical elite for consultative purposes,
- as intellectuals/professionals who form citizens groups in dialogue with a view of promoting interreligious harmony and understanding, and
- as grassroots interreligious NGOs in social action.
6.1 Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism
MCCBCHS, established in 1983 is composed primarily of religious officials from the four main religions. The chief role of the Majlis (Malay for Council) is to act as a consultative and liaison body. The Majlis has expressed concern about the Islamisation policy of the government as well as other human rights and social issues. The Council acts as a watchdog organisation monitoring enactments and policies that affect the religious life of minority religious groups in the country.
6.2 Interreligious Spiritual Fellowship (INSaF)
INSaF is another interfaith organisation initiated by the Hindu charitable body, The Pure Life Society. Members of INSaF come from various religious backgrounds, including Islam. They are largely professionals who share a common view of the universality of God and the shared humanity of all people. Interaction and interreligious understanding among members is fostered through religious dialogue and symbolic friendship acts such as gathering for Religious Harmony Day and Organ Donation Campaign.
6.3 Malaysian Women in Ministry and Theology (MWMT) and Asian Women's Resource Centre (AWRC)
These groups are determined to raise awareness, especially in the church, on issues related to gender roles and power sharing. These ecumenical organisations also share advocacy work and awareness raising together with other women's groups such as Sisters in Islam. They also promote interfaith solidarity among women.
6.4 International Movement for a Just World (JUST)
This movement advocates civilizational dialogue. It has organised interfaith dialogue on issues related to globalisation in cooperation with the International Christian Peace Movement (Pax Christi).
6.5 Malaysian Interfaith Network (MIN)
This body was formed recently in December 2002comprising of representatives from all the major religions including Islam. MIN was established to provide a platform of communication for the various interfaith organisations, initiatives and actions in Malaysia; to promote the common values shared by all faiths; and to foster interfaith understanding and co-operation.
6.6 Grassroots NGOs in Social Action
There are a few interreligious groups which have made their impact through involvement in social action. They deal with grassroots problems of poverty alleviation, single-parent households, domestic violence, etc. Some groups provide legal aid for squatter populations. There are other interreligious groups which work with people suffering from HIV/AIDS.
7. Key Issues and Challenges Facing the Church in Malaysia
- By and large the Church in Malaysia is still considered a Western vestige and outside the mainstream of the nation’s life and development. The greatest challenge of the church here is to develop a Malaysian identity.
- Secondly, Christians have tended towards a ghetto mentality among themselves. The churches have been preoccupied with their own existence and organisation, and correspondingly they have lagged behind in prophetic concern for social relevance and outreach of the gospel into the mainstream task of nation building.
- Another part has been a pietistic heritage, which does not take social struggles seriously. In many instances, there has been a lack of understanding and knowledge about the dynamics of social change.
- With the growing intensity of the Islamisation policy, non-Muslims are anxious about greater restrictions being imposed upon the practice of their religions.
8. Contemporary Challenges to the Church’s Mission
- There is first of all the challenge to a wider and deeper understanding of mission and evangelism. Christians are being challenged to see nation building as the area in which God is at work through the Holy Spirit. Christians need to be conscientised to come out of their shells and exercise a more caring attitude to issues of national interest and take their rightful place as the salt and light in society.
- Secondly, this whole situation in Malaysia holds a challenge for Christian unity and church union. The government will listen to one “church” voice, but not to a host of voices from divided churches. More concerted efforts at transcending denominational, cultural, racial and linguistic barriers should unite Christians in Malaysia for further effective Christian witnessing.
- Thirdly, there is the challenge of new approaches to mission and service. Christians are called to cooperate with others for common good in addressing issues such as social ills, moral decadence, social and communal injustices, etc. A deeper and more critical understanding of one’s faith in a pluralistic context will help the Christian present Christ in a confident manner through daily encounters and interactions.
- There is an urgent need for a serious effort to understand Islam and other Asian religions. Mission and evangelisation can hardly be relevant and meaningful in a multi-religious context unless Christians in Malaysia formulate a contextualised and relevant 'theology of religions'.
1. Statistics based on Population Distribution and Basic Demographic Characteristics Report: Population and Housing Census 2000. Putrajaya: Department of Statistics Malaysia, 2001. Available: http: //www.statistics.gov.my/English/PageDemo.htm [6 November 2001].
2. The figures from the Population and Housing Census of Malaysia 1991 are given in square brackets.
3. Statistics for Folk/Tribal Animistic Religionists and Others are based on Population and Housing Census of Malaysia 1991. Kuala Lumpur: Department of Statistics, 1991.
4. Ian Harris, Stuart Mews, Paul Morris and John Shepherd(eds.), Contemporary Religions: A World Guide (Harlow, Middlesex, UK: Longman, 1992), p. 439.
5. See Tun Mohammad Suffian bin Hashim, An Introduction to the Constitution of Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur: Government Printer, 1976), pp. 218-9.
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