COMMENT | Last month, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Shahidan Kassim launched a moral panic against atheists in Malaysia, calling on members of the public to assist the authorities in clamping down on this supposedly dangerous group of people.

For the minister to use the words "hunt down" in reference to atheists bodes ill for any efforts towards the acceptance of minorities within Malaysia, in this case individuals who do not believe in a religion. It certainly demonstrates a no-nonsense approach towards people deemed to be threatening Islam as a religion and a system of values in the Muslim-majority country.

Beyond this rhetoric however, there are intellectual issues to tackle vis-à-vis the monopolisation of one belief system at the expense of the safety of those who do not subscribe to this system.

What sparked this moral panic was a photo posted by the Kuala Lumpur chapter of the non-profit Atheist Republic, an organisation which “provides opportunities for non-believers around the world to gather with like-minded people”. The photo showed about 20 men and women coming together to celebrate diversity within the atheist community.

Minister Shahidan immediately asked for an investigation to determine if any Muslims were part of this burgeoning atheist community, or rather ex-Muslims who have joined them.

Additionally, he said that Muslims who became atheists ought to be re-educated, with the help of Muslim religious scholars, so that they can "return to the right path".

That apostasy is not a federal crime in Malaysia does not seem to matter as the country inexorably veers towards an attitude that marginalises (ir)religious minorities, hence compromising one's freedom to practice or not practice a religion.

In the case of atheists, there is an attitude of condescension embedded in this marginalisation, in which they are deemed to be confused about and ignorant of Islam. This marginalisation is also legally enshrined as Muslims are not allowed to officially renounce Islam.

Instead, Muslims doubting their faith are encouraged to go for rehabilitation or counselling. This means that from a legal and sociological point of view, it is safe to say that atheists are deemed as deviant, enjoying the same label as Shia Muslims in Malaysia.

Moving forward

There has to be a way in moving forward regarding the perception of atheists at the state level and the grassroots level...