In Malaysia, the religious landscape is delicately balanced. Around 60% of Malaysians are Muslims with the other 40% being divided among Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians (9%), Taoists, Confucianists and several other minority faiths.
In spite of a constitutional statement providing freedom of religion, Islam in Malaysia — as the religion of the indigenous Malay population — is protected in theory and in practice. Minority faiths are banned by law from attempting to convert Muslims; in contrast, laws and government institutions actively facilitate the conversion of non-Muslims to Islam. Such Muslim outreach is driven by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (JAKIM), an arm of the Federal Government.
If a Muslim converts...
In such a context, claims of Muslims converting to Christianity are likely to attract a vigorous response from Muslim authorities. I interviewed Dr Ng Kam Weng, Director of the Kairos Research Centre in Petaling Jaya and leading Christian scholar and researcher into inter-religious relations in Malaysia.
