THE RELIGIOUS POLICY OF MALAYSIA: LESSONS FOR VIETNAM

Nguyễn Bá Minh, Đỗ Lan Hiền

Tóm tắt

Abstract: Malaysia is a typical example in Southeast Asia for its religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity. Cultural differences/diversities—especially religious differences—are among the fundamental causes of social conflicts. While Malaysia is often cited as a model where Islam and democracy can coexist, this model is currently facing many challenges. For a long period in its history, due to the majority of the population adhering to Islam, both local and federal governments have enacted policies and adopted attitudes that favor this traditional religion. The rights of followers of other religions (Christianity, unrecognized Islamic sects, and new religious movements) have not been fully guaranteed, leading to religious and ethnic dissatisfaction and resulting in social instability.

This article examines Malaysia's religious policies and offers insights and lessons that could be relevant to religious policy-making in Vietnam.

Keywords: Malaysia, religious policy, Islam, lessons learned, Vietnam