Religious minister told other countries to emulate Malaysia’s tolerance and goodwill towards the minority

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Idris Ahmad said it is time for the minority Muslim countries to embrace Malaysia’s model in assimilating different races and beliefs inside the country.

Idris added that tolerance and goodwill practised in Malaysia should serve as a guide for the Muslim world to unite the ummah.

He said this after attending the World Muslim Communities Council International Conference in Abu Dhabi that ended on 10 May.

Idris said that a country with a majority Muslim population could tolerate other races, with Islam recognised as the official religion of the country, but vice versa for a Muslim-minority country.

“The foundations that we have built in Malaysia, we hope, can be followed by other countries, including by countries where the majority of the population consists of non-Muslims, so that they emulate the tolerance and goodwill for a harmonious living.”

“The Keluarga Malaysia Keluarga Sejahtera is a reality that we have in our country at the moment,” said Idris.

He also said that Malaysia has been practicing the concept of the fiqh al-Ta’ayush in building good fraternal relations with all components of society.

Commenting on the conference, Idris praised the organising country for the event’s success in bringing Islamic figures from around the globe to discuss the challenges facing the ummah today.

He also said that United Arab Emirates had expressed interest in making Malaysia the host for the next edition of the conference.

Does Malaysia live up to expectation?

Despite those comments from Idris, a 2021 survey listed Malaysia as the 2nd most racist country in the world behind South Africa.

Although the survey is not really scientific, there’s a heated discussion on the cultural and systemic racism in the country. You can read more about what some Malaysia have to say here.

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