Malaysia: The treatment of Jews by the state and Muslim fundamentalist groups
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 October 1994 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | MYS18854.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Malaysia: The treatment of Jews by the state and Muslim fundamentalist groups, 1 October 1994, MYS18854.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6aae54.html [accessed 7 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
According to a professor of The Norman Patterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University in Ottawa, the Jewish community is practically non-existent in Malaysia (25 Oct. 1994). Although Malaysia's population is heterogeneous, Malaysian Jews make up less than one per cent of the total. This information was corroborated by a professor of political science at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver (26 Oct. 1994).
The Malays, who are mainly Sunni Muslim, comprise over 50 per cent of the population, with the Chinese forming the largest minority group at just over 30 per cent (Countries of the World 1994 1994, 870; Minority Rights Group 1991, 348; Third World Guide 93/94 1993, 398).
Although Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad, who is also head of the United Malays National Organization (UMNO), UMNO youth wing leader Najib Tun Razak and the Kuala Lumpur authorities have all uttered anti-Semitic statements, Antisemitism World Report 1994 states that racial violence has not been evident in Malaysia for over 20 years (1994, 199-200). Further, the Far Eastern Economic Review indicates that the Malaysian prime minister is currently negotiating with Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin in an attempt to establish economic ties with Israel (7 July 1994, 28). The same source reports that the Malaysian government has recently permitted Israelis to enter the country with Israeli passports (ibid.).
Several articles indicate that Muslim fundamentalist groups and parties such as the Al-Arqam Islamic sect and the Parti-Islam se-Malaysia have attempted to impose or enforce stringent Islamic fundamentalist beliefs and laws (The Ottawa Citizen 14 Sept. 1994, D13; FEER 11 Aug. 26 1994; Amnesty International Report 1994 1994, 204). The government has demonstrated resistance to these groups, however, recognizing that the establishment of stringent Islamic laws in a multi-racial and religious society would threaten national security (ibid.; The Ottawa Citizen 14 Sept. 1994, D13; FEER 15 Sept. 1994, 14-15; ibid. 11 Aug. 1994, 25-26; Manchester Guardian Weekly 11 Sept. 1994; Voice of America 11 Sept. 1994).
For general information on the current human rights practices in Malaysia, please consult Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1993, available at your Regional Documentation Centre. For additional information on Malaysia's penal system, please consult the attachment from World Encyclopedia of Police Forces and Penal Systems.
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Amnesty International. Amnesty International Report 1994. 1994. New York: Amnesty International USA.
Antisemitism World Report 1994. 1994. London: Institute of Jewish Affairs.
Countries of the World and Their Leaders Yearbook 1994. 1994. Vol. 1 Detroit: Gale Research Inc.
Far Eastern Economic Review (FEER) [Hong Kong]. 15 September 1994. Vol. 157, No. 37. "Premier vs. Preacher."
. 7 July 1994. Vol. 157, No. 27. "Tel Aviv Overtures: Some Asian Muslim Nations Warm Towards Israel."
. 11 August 1994. Vol. 157, No. 32. "In the Name of Security: Government Moves to Ban Radical Islamic Sect."
Manchester Guardian Weekly [London]. 11 September 1994. N. Cumming-Bruce. "Malaysian Sect Leader Arrested." (NEXIS)
Minority Rights Group. 1991. World Directory of Minorities. 1991. Harlow, Essex: Longman Group UK Ltd.
The Ottawa Citizen. 14 September 1994. J. Manthorpe. "Malaysia: Police Detain Muslim Preacher; Southeast Asia Fears Sect Leader Fuels Revolution." (NEXIS)
Professor of The Norman Patterson School of International Affairs specializing in Asia, Carleton University, Ottawa. 25 October 1994. Telephone interview.
Professor of political science specializing in Asia, University of British Columbia, Vancouver. 26 October 1994. Telephone interview.
Third World Guide 93/94. 1993. Toronto: Instituto del Tercer Mundo.
Voice of America. 11 September 1994. "Malaysia Raids." (DIRB "Malaysia" country file)
Attachments
Asiaweek [Hong Kong]. 3 August 1994. Vol. 20, No. 31. "Brave New World: Visions of Rising Regional Power as the Malay Land Prospers," pp. 21-25.
. 20 July 1994. Vol. 20, No. 29. "Target: Al-Arqam: Kuala Lumpur Cracks Down on an Islamic Sect," pp. 26-27.
The Economist [London]. 10 September 1994. Vol. 332, No. 7880. "A Butterfly Upon a Wheel."
International Herald Tribune. 24 March 1994. Michael Richardson. "Rebukes for Malaysia over `Schindler's List'; One Official Wants Ban Reconsidered." (NEXIS)
Kurian, George Thomas. 1989. World Encyclopedia of Police Forces and Penal Systems. New York: Facts on File.
Reuters World Service. 26 March 1994. "Malaysian Government Not Anti-Semitic Anwar." (NEXIS)
Additional Sources Consulted
Asian Survey [Berkeley]. January-December 1993.
DIRB "Malaysia" country file. 1993.
Current History [Philadelphia]. January 1994-present.
Human Rights World Report 1994. New York: Human Rights Watch.
The Jerusalem Report. Weekly. January 1994-present.
On-line search of media sources.
Oral Sources.
