Malaysia consists of a highly diverse ethnic and religious composition. More than a third of the population is Malay, all of whom are Muslim. Chinese make up a third of the population, most of whom are Buddhists combining Taoist and Confucian practices, while a small number identify as Christian. Indians comprise a tenth of the population of which most are Hindu with a small minority of Sikhs, Muslims and Christians. Various ethnic groups, such as different indigenous groups mostly situated in the Borneo region, and Eurasians and migrants workers, most of whom are Indonesians, make up the remaining of the population.
Despite the Muslim majority, Malaysia is not an Islamic state. Instead it is considered to be a “Malay-dominated plural society” where Malays, as the first people of the land, are entitled to special rights and privileges in the country as part of an ‘ethnic bargain’ between the Malays, the Chinese, and the Indians during the formation of Malaysia in 1957 after nearly two decades under British rule. In exchange, the Chinese and Indians were granted Malaysian citizenship. This ‘ethnic bargain’ highlights the mutual respect and tolerance among these ethnic groups that has existed ever since they came into contact in the early 16th century in Southeast Asia. This mutual respect became the foundational basis for Malaysia’s multi-religious society.
The spectacular economic growth of Malaysia in recent years has greatly impacted the state of religious pluralism in Malaysia. However, this growth has also created an attitude of indifference, if not silence, when it comes to matters pertaining to religion in Malaysia. Many Malaysians are not prone to discuss religious matters publicly due to the sensitive nature of such discussion as well as a fear that such discussion might trigger racial unrest. The role of the government in promoting a policy of silence rather than active discussion regarding issues of religion further exacerbates this attitude of indifference. As a result, many Malaysians suffer from a paradox; they remain a sophisticated society in terms of their material growth but are constrained when it comes to understanding their multi-religiosity.
Fortunately, my peer group if made up of people of different races. We share memes and discuss religious matters openly. We trust each other enough to the point that talking about such delicate matters wont affect our lives.Therefore, I hope that all Malaysians can set aside their differences and accept each other into their lives as neighbours and friends.
