In a research paper titled “Fault Lines and Common Ground in Malaysia’s Ethnic Relations and Policies”, Lee Hwok-Aun said there was an “unwholesome” deficit of religious knowledge, especially among Muslim respondents in the study who expressed generally “unfavourable views of others”.
When asked to rate beliefs from zero (not favourable) to 100 (extremely favourable), Muslims rated Islam 90 and other religions 40 and below, according to a report by the South China Morning Post citing Lee’s paper.
Buddhists and Hindus, meanwhile, rated their beliefs 70 and others 50.
“On the whole, therefore, religion arguably presents a major barrier to national integration, and this is an area where change of attitude and perception, and increase of knowledge, are especially important,” Lee was quoted as saying.
Such issues are often used as a “political tool” within Malaysia’s multiracial society, where fears of Chinese dominance in the economic sphere have successfully roused support among the Malays for favourable Bumiputera policies, the report added.
Accusations of such “political manipulation” have been levelled at leaders from both Barisan Nasional (BN) and the opposition in the run-up to GE14, which must be held by the middle of next year.
According to the studies cited in his paper, Lee said Malays were in favour of Bumiputera policies because they consider themselves disadvantaged and in need of assistance.
“They are grateful for the benefits, and fearful of questioning the policy,” he was quoted as saying.
This clashed with the views of those from other races such as the Chinese and Indians, who said they would support having no special privileges.
However, in his analysis, Lee remained hopeful of common ground between different ethnicities, saying: “Malaysia’s ethnic groups are distant from each other but not hostile.
“Society has attained a meaningful level of cohesion and accommodation of diversity, but not integration and appreciation of diversity.”
Lee’s paper was based on five recent public opinion surveys addressing the relations between Malaysia’s various ethnicities.
Lee himself is senior fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.