International Christian Concern, August 23rd, 2024 (excerpts)
Anwar Ibrahim’s Madani government is steadily working to centralize Islam in Malaysia. Efforts to impose a “Vatican-style” authority could have far-reaching implications for religious freedom, especially for Christians and followers of other minority religions.
The government, which already severely punishes Muslims who convert to Christianity, recently introduced bills that restrict the practice of Islam in Malaysia to specific Islamic schools of thought. By excluding other Islamic sects, the government could potentially punish anyone who deviates from these forms of Islam.
Nearly 60% of Malaysians are Sunni Muslims, and only 9% are Christians. While churches exist for people who speak a variety of languages, no Malay churches meet openly, as it is illegal for Malays to convert to Christianity. When discovered, authorities send Malay Christians to “re-education camps” where they are forced, through torture and propaganda, to return to Islam.
The Malaysian Islamic Development Department is gaining significant influence in national policymaking. It has also obtained censorship powers over social media, allowing it to declare Islamic teachings or discussions as deviant.