Thank you for your kind reply as well. It is true that Malaysia is far from being the perfect nation vis a vis religion and the socio-political scene. And your examples about bumiputera privileges, sharia system, Al-Arqam, etc. are spot on. In fact not many people, even Malaysians themselves, can claim such profound knowledge on the intricacies of our political mess. And you are absolutely right that the outcome of this mess has created this intense exodus of people and capital in recent years. Very sad.

However, you will be pleased to know that democracy is alive and well in Malaysia, and the people despite all odds have come out in vast numbers to protest against religious hegemony – the church bombers eventually went to jail; the fire failed to provoke the Christians to react violently, and instead peaceful vigils and gatherings in solidarity prevailed. In addition, all walks of people be they politicians, businessmen and women, or artists have stood up against threats of detention without trial (our famed Internal Security Act) and spoken up against such injustices, with increasing success. The Islamic Department continues to be out of touch, most people feel, and you will be amazed too at the outspoken-ness of people against what used to be this powerful authority.

Like the United States in its early years, the contemporary Malaysia remains an experiment and work in progress, but it is very encouraging to see the signs of democracy that counter the mindlessness of authoritarianism. If anything, I truly believe that Malaysia’s brand of Islam remains a positive one that deserves more exploration and understanding. Despite the extreme views and gaffes of the religious scholars here, there is a larger and unheard community of what you term as secular Muslims – as well as the non Muslims – who reject their views and have shown this tenacity to rally against the extremists. If anything, I believe the United States can find an ally in Malaysia in fighting the madness that is Islamic fundamentalism. Sadly, such vilification of the moderate Muslim nations like Malaysia will only push potential allies in fighting this war on terror further and further away.

Again, I thank you for your work and your kind tone. May God bless you too, and I hope that we can all find peace in all of this.

I take your point about Malaysia’s government and your freedom of religion. I am delighted to hear that you can practice your Buddhist faith openly and without harassment.

However, from a Western perspective, any government imposing sharia law on any part of its population, Muslim or not, can legitimately be labeled a sharia state. For that portion of the population, there is no separation of religion from government. Malaysia also has its own government Islamic department to promote and advance Islam — not a legitimate government function, but rather a proponent of increased sharia controls. Unfortunately, based on Islamic history across many regions, I fear for you and all non-Muslim Malaysians — as indeed, I fear for the Malaysia’s secular Muslim majority.

History has shown that everywhere that Muslim populations grow over time, and non-Muslim minorities decrease, sharia law has been imposed with increasingly severity. This historic pattern was evident in every Islamic region and Muslim-majority nation, and even in Malaysia — as Christian churches are attacked and burned and Christians murdered. Meanwhile, conditions worsen considerably for secular Muslims too.

Then there is the bumiputra system, requiring all Malaysian non-Muslim businesses to have silent, do-nothing Muslim partners. Whether so-labeled or not, this actually embodies the jizya, a sharia-based discriminatory tax upon non-Muslims, forcing them to pay heavily for “protection.” Neither is this religious freedom in the purest sense, but rather sharia-based religious discrimination.

Precisely such taxation, over the last 1,400 years, drove most Middle Eastern Christians either to leave the region or convert — if they were not massacred. Outside of Israel, the Middle Eastern Christian population is currently 1% or less.

Malaysia may have banned the Dar Al-Arqam movement 15 years ago, but just as Egypt’s ban on the Muslim Brotherhood has never eviscerated that organization, Malaysia’s Dar Al-Arqam ban has unlikely done more than forced the movement underground. More importantly, Dar Al-Arqam went international in the late 1970s, and its ideas definitely informed the Muslim Brotherhood strategic plan penned by Mohamed Akram for North America in May 1991.

Thank you again.

Whatever your opinion is on the Rauf controversy, I respect your thoughts for and against him and his movement.

However, I think your portrayal of Malaysia in this ‘involvement’ is terribly inaccurate. I am an ethnic Chinese from Malaysia, Buddhist, and free to practice my religion. It is definitely NOT a Sharia state as you proclaimed in your opening sentence – what we do have is Sharia law for Muslims that is separate from our Common Law.

In addition I can safely say that the vast majority of Malaysians shun religious extremism – the example that you invoked – the Dar Al-Arqam movement – has been banned by the Government for the past 15 years.

We could go on and on rebutting point by point. However I’d rather not do that, and instead implore you to suspend all assumptions about Malaysia, and instead come check things out here for yourself.