Malaysian Indigenous Tribes Forced To Convert To Islam In Exchange For Government Aid

Photo Credit Venoth

Imagine if in Western countries Muslims and others from non Judeo/Christian religions were forced to convert to Christianity to get any government help. In other words, if you want to get on welfare, you must convert. Of course, that would never happen in the West nor would Muslims allow that to happen, but in countries like Malaysia, a supposedly moderate Muslim nation, indigenous ethnic groups who practice animism are claiming that the government is forcing them to convert to Islam to be eligible for development aid. In the following video, Gerald Tan of Al Jazeera interviews some tribes in Pahang who clearly state that if they want any help at all, they must convert. And it's very evident, in spite of the Malaysian government's denial. The people who live in modest houses with electricity are those who have converted, at least on paper. Those who live in huts are the ones who have refused, thus far, to be coerced or bribed into converting.

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No-one should be forced to do anything against their will in order to avail themselves of aid in any form, and particularly from the government. It's admirable that the Malaysian government wants to help these indigenous people (who have lived in Malaysia long before Islam conquered the land) rise out of poverty, but to do so with "strings attached", is reprehensible. One local told Tan " Government officials visited my people and tried to convert us. They say if we want facilities and easy access to the village, you have to be a Muslim." Hardly fair to offer help with conditions. I can just see it- a Muslim applying for unemployment benefits being told "if you want to get your unemployment check you have to convert to Christianity."

What happened to all that tolerance for others?

Source: Al Jazeera