Malaysia Faces Ongoing Challenges in Upholding Freedom of Religion and Addressing Religious Discrimination
According to submissions[i] to the United Nations Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process, Malaysia continues to face significant issues in this domain. The European Center for Law and Justice (ECLJ) stated that apostasy and proselytization are prohibited in an overwhelming majority of states in Malaysia, and that blasphemy is criminalized at the national level. ADF International recommended that Malaysia amend its National Registration Act to remove all references to religion on national identity cards, while the Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Semenanjung Malaysia (JKOASM) called on the country to immediately stop its policy of assimilating the Orang Asli indigenous group into Islam and the Malay section of society.
