Challenges In Ensuring Religious Tolerance In Malaysia

Abstract

This article examines the major political, legal, and social challenges to ensuring religious tolerance in Malaysia. It analyzes the constitutional position of Islam as the religion of the Federation, the guarantees of religious freedom, and the coexistence of civil and Sharia courts as key factors Received: 15-05-2026 shaping the country’s policy of religious tolerance. The study also discusses Accepted: 28-05-2026 issues related to apostasy, religious conversion, the rights of religious minorities, Published:09-06-2026 restrictions on the construction and registration of places of worship, and unequal approaches to religious propagation. Particular attention is given to the impact of these challenges on social cohesion, equality, and citizens’ religious rights, including the Lina Joy case as a significant example of the legal limits of religious Copyright: © 2026 by the authors. freedom in Malaysia. The findings demonstrate that the institutional supremacy Submitted for open access publication of Islam and the dual legal system create substantial obstacles to achieving under the terms and conditions of the genuine religious equality and tolerance in Malaysia. Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license