INTERFAITH ISSUES
Perhaps the most formidable challenge facing Malaysian religious life today is to maintain and revitalize the country's pluralistic and multi-religious outlook and keep it at the heart of public life. Historically, Malaysia has the benefit of a long inheritance of shared political and cultural values amongst her people. This is evident in constitutional provision for freedom of religion, the Rukunegara (National Ideology) and in non-governmental interfaith organizations. Whilst the Constitution states that Islam is the religion of the Federation, other faiths are allowed to be practised.
Aware of the power of religion to mobilize the hearts and minds of people, the authorities encourage an atmosphere of tolerance—for all to live by the adage, ‘we treat others as we wish others to treat us'. Strengthened by the belief in the oneness of God and the oneness of humanity, leading interfaith non-governmental organizations take the initiative in organizing inter-religious engagements.
Apart from government and organization-supported initiatives, Malaysians work to foster religious harmony and tolerance in their everyday lives. They seek out the commonalities of their religious practices rather than the differences. Where there are differences, then mutual respect and tolerance hold sway. All the commonly held human virtues and the ‘golden rule' of treating others as you would wish to be treated yourself are to be found in Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Christianity and Sikhism. The Ministry of Education has identified 45 universal values to be taught in schools. The aim is to educate Malaysians fully for meaningful inter-religious dialogue.
In Malaysia, interfaith issues are constantly discussed in order to learn from one another and share the universal values which help to strengthen the fabric of Malaysian society. Malaysians appreciate and cherish the meaning of peaceful co-existence amongst people of different faiths as they realize that elsewhere religious conflicts cause untold misery and destruction.
