1957 Federal Constitution of Malaysia gives special status for Islam. Article 3(1) states that “Islam is the religion of the Federation; but other religions may be practised in peace and harmony in any part of the Federation.” Here follows some more articles adding to it:
Art 11(4) limits the right to propagate any religious doctrine or belief “among persons professing the religion of Islam”& gives state and federal legislative bodies the power to promulgate laws that restrict and control the propagation of any religious doctrine to Muslims.
1988 Constitutional Amendment Act amended Art 121(1) to remove judicial powers ‘vested’ in the High Courts to supervise& review lower subordinate courts. Further that civil courts “shall have no jurisdiction in respect of any matter within the jurisdiction of the Syariah courts”.
In 1996, the Fatwa Committee for Religious Affairs issued a Syariah order dictating that Sunni Islam is the permitted form of Islam in Malaysia,and imposing a prohibition on the proselytism,promulgation or professing of Shi’a beliefs, including the distribution of lit.
11 of Malaysia’s 14 states since given effect to the fatwa through state Islamic bodies. Rodger Shanahan, "Malaysia and its Shia “Problem”", 25/7/2014, mei.edu/publications/m… David Hutt, "No Safe Place for SEAsia’s Shia Muslims", A Times, 3/2/2018 atimes.com/article/no-saf….
In July 2018, Shah Alam High Court, ruled that Selangor Islamic State Department (JAIS) had no authority over Ahmadiyah Muslims& they were not covered under Syariah jurisdiction, precisely because the 1975& 1998 fatwa had ruled that Ahmadiyah wr "not Muslims" in Malaysia.
Syariah law and state criminal laws expressly penalizethe propagation of religious doctrines other than of "Islam" among persons professing the Islamic faith. The states of Selangor& Terengganu, criminalize "persuading, influencing or inciting a Muslim to change faith"
"subjecting a minor who is a Muslim to influences of a non-Islamic religion", "approaching a Muslim to subject him to any speech on or display of any matter concerning a non-Islamic religion", "sending, delivering or distributing publications concerning a non-Islamic religion"
in 2002, a Hindu was sentenced by Pahang Syariah Court for allegedly demanding that the complainant abandon Islam and embrace Hinduism to 20 days in prison for "voluntarily causing grievous hurt& propagation of non-Islamic religion" under Pahang state law.
as for discrimination in favour of majority: minorityrights.org/2011/05/25/eth…
