Overview:

• Recognition and registration are differentiated although existential recognition only provided to five religious communities; this existential recognition is not extended to their associated belief systems or to denominations; this in turn creates a situation of partial recognition whereby any other religious group that achieve registration does not receive the same degree of recognition as these five comm unities mentioned in the constitution.

• Also, a degree of state privilege is provided to Buddhism.

• The registration process is limited to groups that affiliate with one of the five recognised communities; all other communities are classified as NRMs and have different requirements than those groups affiliated with one of the five recognised communities with some of the informational requirements being intrusive; denial of registration to NRMs is so high so that it is now considered that any group outside the five recognise communities may not gain registration.

Positive elements:

• Nil.

Recommendations:

• Dismantlement of the apparatus of laws and restrictive policies that have been put in place to restrict religious activity.

• Establish a revitalised recognition system that crucially provides existential recognition and legal registration to all belief systems and their derivatives without discrimination.

• Remove all forms of undue involvement of the government in the internal affairs of religious organisations.