KUALA LUMPUR: Everybody, regardless of faith and background, deserves to feel safe, respected and included, not only in their home country, but wherever they travel in the world.
Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah said, however, this is not always so.
"We live in a world where, sadly, despite centuries of efforts from like-minded individuals, inclusivity and religious freedom are not a given. Across the globe today, people of different faiths and backgrounds are stripped of their human dignity because of their beliefs, in large and small ways.
"In some countries, certain religious groups are persecuted by governments, forced out of their homes and even incarcerated because of their beliefs.
"But even in parts of the world which purport to be inclusive, minority populations often experience appalling, everyday degradations — offensive graffiti on a wall near their home, or an insult on their way into work, because of something they wear or the colour of their skin.
"We must work to eradicate every one of these acts of aggression, from the macro to the micro, because all of them, however small, represent an attack on human dignity itself," he said in his royal address at the Regional Southeast Asia Human Dignity Conference 2024.
Sultan Nazrin, however, said he was proud to reflect on Malaysia's own track record, as tolerance and inclusivity were core values of the nation.
"Ever since the declaration of the Rukun Negara in 1970 — a response to the dreadful race riots that blighted our young country the previous year — Malaysia has worked hard to promote the unity and togetherness of its diverse peoples, and it is recognised internationally for this."
The ruler described Malaysia's unique socio-cultural experience, noting that as many as 137 living languages were spoken and a wide range of religious festivals celebrated "with enthusiasm and vibrancy".
"Malaysia has, indeed, been hailed as a multicultural 'success story', and I know I am by no means alone in the belief that our inclusivity — our celebration of diversity — is
absolutely integral to our continued prosperity as a nation.
"Malaysians of all races, religions, and geographic locations need to believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that they have a place under the Malaysian sun."
However, Sultan Nazrin acknowledged that there were still some in Malaysia — and around the world — who do not share such sentiments.
He said mistrust and intolerance were themselves "a kind of pandemic", which spreads like a virus between individuals, communities and entire nations.
As such, he said, events such as the conference Regional Southeast Asia Human Dignity Conference were important to dispel hatred, ignorance and fear between different communities.
The Regional Southeast Asia Human Dignity Conference 2024, with the theme "Dignity for Everyone, Everywhere", was held in collaboration with the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (IKIM) International Centre for Law and Religion Studies (ICLRS), Brigham Young University, and the Religious Freedom Institute (RFI).
The conference was attended by interfaith representatives from both local and international communities, aiming to share best practices and success stories related to human dignity in Southeast Asia.