Muhammad Sha'ani said the rights commission is working to arrange meetings between the Shiite community and government and Islamic affairs authorities to achieve "some peaceful agreement and mutual understanding."
"We are looking for a conciliatory solution, since there's no point in being confrontational," Muhammad Sha'ani said. He declined to confirm whether the commission formally supports the Shiites' petition but added that "everyone should have the freedom to practice their own faith and religion."
Muhammad Sha'ani estimated there might be tens of thousands of Shiites in Malaysia, a country of 28 million people. Some have told rights activists over the years they are forced to hide their beliefs to avoid trouble with authorities and are unable to have formal places of worship, Muhammad Sha'ani said.
Malaysia's government has consistently denied it practices religious discrimination, saying the country is a model of Islamic moderation. However, some Malaysians have complained about problematic policies for non-Muslims to build new churches and temples.
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