Malaysia

Religious freedom conditions in Malaysia are poor amid a troubling rise in religious polarization and restrictions. The country’s dual legal system of Shari’a and civil courts privilege Islamic law, according to the Shaf’i school of Sunni jurisprudence. The legal system further limits dissenting interpretations of its principles through fatwas, legal action, and intrusive monitoring. The state discriminates against Muslim groups that it views as representing “deviant” versions of Islam.