Overview:

• The state religion is Islam.

• Partial recognition is in effect.

• Recognition and registration are differentiated with the former restricted only to Islam while the latter is available to both Islamic and non-Islamic organisations.

• Proselytism is allowed and supported by the state for Muslims but for non-Muslims, it is criminalised.

• The government’s control and allocation of places of worship is classed as state involvement in the internal affairs of religious organisations.

• The legal requirement to submit annual reports to remain registered is censorious if those reports are used unfairly to deregister a religious group.

• Converts to a religion other than Islam should not be subject to forced declaration of themselves as apostates in order to succeed in their conversion; this is a severe violation of international human rights standards on freedom of religion or belief; additionally, clerics of one religion should not have the authority to stop a person from converting to another religion; retributions for apostasy vary from state to state ranging from caning, fines, to imprisonment.

Positive elements:

• Nil.

Recommendations:

• Dismantlement of the powers of the JAKIM to control the practice of Islam in the country is paramount; this should be combined with a dismantlement of the present censorious apparatus of legislation and procedures restricting religious activity and the process of registration.