Kuala Lumpur, Dec 31: A US government report saying that Malaysia discriminates against non-Muslims has prompted the Malaysian foreign ministry to complain to the US Ambassador, officials said today. Senior ministry officials met with the ambassador Marie Huhtala yesterday to "express displeasure" about the US State Department's annual international religious freedom report, US embassy spokesman Frank Whitaker said in Kuala Lumpur.
The report, published Dec 18 on the State Department's web site, said that Malaysia has "discriminatory legislation or policies disadvantaging certain religions," while noting that the government "generally respects non-Muslims' right of worship."
Whitaker said that the ambassador explained to the Malaysian officials the procedure used to compile the report, and said it was "not uncommon" for the Malaysian government to request discussions with US embassy officials over bilateral issues.
Ministry officials could not immediately be reached for comment. Bureau Report