Speaking at the Malaysia Freedom Summit, IRF programme manager Ehsan Shahwahid said in the past, religious matters were solely in the hands of the state.
“But with the expansion of new institutions, such as the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim), now almost all matters of religion were being institutionalised under authorities funded by the government and governed by religious institutions.
“This has meant that freedom isn’t promoted in matters of religion. So, how can the state of freedom in Malaysia progress?”
Ehsan said the prevailing perception was that freedom was not in line with religion, although the IRF thought otherwise.
He said freedom was fundamental to religion as it gave any religion a sense of purity, sincerity, faith and conviction.
“Without these, a person cannot achieve the goals of being a human in this world.
“If we live in a world without freedom of thought, we tend to make assumptions about what is considered religious, which leaves us open to manipulation,” Ehsan said.
He added that the IRF had got into trouble before for promoting freedom of thought, including having events they organised cancelled and books they published banned.
In October, the home ministry banned several Malay-language books on Islam, including a translation of a book by prominent Turkish writer Mustafa Akyol, published by the IRF.
The government also arrested and deported Akyol, after he gave a talk in the country.
Ehsan noted that while there was some progress of economic and political freedoms, religious freedom had regressed.
“Today, we can have a summit on freedom and talk freely, which 30 to 40 years ago was unlikely. In the past, we needed permits for talks like this.
“I’m not saying we have a good standard of political freedom, but clearly, there is progress.
“But when you look at the Rukun Negara and the Federal Constitution, you get a feeling that we used to have more freedom and openness.”
According to Ehsan, over the last decade, religion had become a more sensitive issue, with increased restrictions and limitations imposed on it.
He said this had not only affected Muslims, such as in the case of the Shia sect being declared deviant, but also non-Muslims, with the ban on the use of the word “Allah” by Malay-speaking Christians.
Ehsan said religious freedom has also regressed because of its high political value in the country, which was used to attract support from the people. Another reason was the lack of education on freedom in Malaysia.
“In Jakarta, matters like freedom and multiculturalism are taught not only in public schools but even in religious classes.”