Frank national dialogue on Islam and democracy
Large-scale collection of public opinion on governance, religious tolerance, and the rights and roles of women and minorities presented to Malaysian policymakers
The Malaysian government has reaffirmed its commitment to a multicultural Malaysia and the Prime Minister is actively promoting the Malaysian model of moderation to other countries. At the same time, in 2010, we concluded a two-year national dialogue on Islam and democracy, which provided an opportunity for Malaysians from many backgrounds and every state to have frank discussion with one another on good governance, religious tolerance, and the rights of minorities and women in relation to Islam. Fourteen public dialogues held across 13 states and involving 717 participants, allowed Muslim and non-Muslim Malaysians to navigate what democracy means from an Islamic perspective. Our local staff found that while participants say Malaysia is relatively well-governed, citizens are concerned about corruption and efficiency. They also found that women are mostly seen as equal, as are minorities, but there is room for improvement for both populations. Participants also noted significant levels of religious tolerance at the grassroots level, but said political interference can negatively impact religious harmony. These views were then shared with Malaysian policymakers through government roundtables and policy papers.