Maritime Asia-Pacific
The Maritime Asia-Pacific region encompasses the Malay Peninsula, the Malay Archipelago, Australia, New Zealand, and the island nations of the Indo-Pacific. This vast and strategically important region includes some of the world’s most religiously diverse societies, as well as areas where militant Islam and state-enforced religious orthodoxy continue to severely restrict freedom of religion or belief.
Malaysia and the Maldives: insitutionalised Islamic repression
Malaysia and the Maldives, where exclusive Sunni Islamic ideologies are embedded in law and governance, remain the region’s most repressive countries in terms of religious freedom.
In Malaysia, numerous incidents during the reporting period illustrated persistent restrictions and intercommunal tensions. Individuals, including a stand-up comedian and a Johor trader, were charged for allegedly insulting Islam,[1] while a single mother was sentenced for khalwat, the offence of being in close physical proximity to a man who was neither her husband nor a close male relative.[2] In 2024, the Catholic MP Teresa Kok was questioned after criticising the cost of halal certification.[3] In Sabah, Christians were arbitrarily registered as Muslims on ID cards,[4] while Rohingya refugees experienced ethnic and doctrinal discrimination.[5] Public debate in Sarawak over Bible classes and xenophobia revealed the fragility of religious coexistence.[6] Despite a few court rulings upholding minority rights, the climate remained marked by legal ambiguity, state surveillance and growing intolerance.
In the Maldives, laws banning non-Islamic religious expression continued to be strictly enforced. Two German tourists were arrested in 2024 for distributing Bibles;[7] an Indian spiritual leader and his assistant were deported in 2023.[8] The Maldives also served as a recruiting ground for extremist groups, and 20 individuals were sanctioned by the United States in 2023 for funding ISIS and al-Qaeda. Prisons reportedly function as hubs for radicalisation.[9]
Indonesia: contradictions between blasphemy and unity
Since gaining independence in 1945, Indonesia has officially been a secular State and has recognised the right to religious freedom. However, its longstanding tradition of pluralism has come under strain. The only province governed by Shari‘a is Aceh, and in January 2023, in its capital Banda Aceh, a woman was publicly given 22 lashes for meeting with a man who was not her husband.[10] Blasphemy laws and restrictions on free speech continue to disproportionately affect non-Muslims, particularly Christians. A 74-year-old convert to Catholicism remained in detention for blasphemy in December 2023, three years after publishing a book critical of Islam.[11] In September 2024, Pope Francis visited Indonesia at the start of his four-nation tour of Southeast Asia. He urged the country to uphold its motto, Unity in Diversity, and to be a model for interfaith coexistence.[12]
The Pope ended his Asia-Pacific tour with a three-day visit to Singapore, praising the country’s commitment to religious harmony and its protection of religious freedom for all faiths.[13]
The Philippines and Brunei: localised extremism and Shari'a governance
Jihadist violence persisted in Mindanao, the southern Philippines island with a large Muslim population. In December 2023, a bomb was detonated during a Catholic Mass at Mindanao State University, killing four;[14] in May 2024, a grenade attack on a chapel in Cotabato City injured two.[15] Armed clashes between Islamic militants and government forces in Maguindanao del Sur left 11 dead.[16] These events highlight the ongoing threat posed by jihadist actors in the Bangsamoro region. At the same time, concerns have been raised about the way the government has used the controversial Anti-Terrorism Act to provide a cover for human rights abuses, including the targeting of activists, religious leaders and indigenous communities seeking to protect their land from mining interests.
Despite international criticism, Brunei continues to retain the Syariah Penal Code Order (SPCO), which went fully into effect in April 2019. This legal framework criminalises apostasy, blasphemy, and the propagation of non-Islamic religions, prescribing punishments such as amputation, flogging, stoning, and the death penalty—although a de facto moratorium on executions remains in place.[17] Non-Muslims face significant restrictions, particularly regarding proselytism, the distribution of religious materials, and making critical statements about Islam, despite constitutional provisions guaranteeing freedom of religion.
The Pacific and Australia: religious freedom amid new tensions
Unlike many of their neighbours, Pacific-island nations—including Australia, New Zealand, Timor-Leste, and Papua New Guinea—generally maintain strong protections for religious freedom. The same applies to Pacific micro-states like Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, and Kiribati.
In Australia, religious freedom has been legally protected in the past, but recent developments have raised concerns. Some states require faith-based healthcare providers to offer or refer services that may conflict with their beliefs, and one state confiscated a Catholic hospital which would not provide abortion services. Australia’s continued use of offshore detention centres, particularly in Nauru, has drawn international criticism. Human rights groups and Catholic bishops have condemned the conditions there as inhumane. Many asylum seekers—often fleeing religious persecution—remain in prolonged detention. As of November 2024, over 100 people were held in Nauru, the highest number since 2013.[18]
In Papua New Guinea, internal unrest and geopolitical pressure have stirred debate over religion’s role in public life. After deadly riots in February 2024, Prime Minister James Marape promoted a Christian national identity. Parliament soon passed a bill declaring PNG a Christian nation, prompting warnings from religious leaders about undermining cultural diversity. During his September 2024 visit, Pope Francis urged respect for human dignity and denounced violence, including witchcraft-related abuses. The growing politicisation of religion and external influences may threaten religious freedom and pluralism in the country.[19]
[1] “In Johor, trader charged with insulting God, Islam, and Prophet on Facebook,” Malaysia Mail, 7th June 2023, https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/06/07/in-johor-trader-charged-with-insulting-god-islam-and-prophet-on-facebook/73076 (accessed 15th January 2025).
[2] Fiona Tan, Single mother, 37, sentenced to caning in M'sia for close proximity with man, 19th April 2024, https://mothership.sg/2024/04/first-woman-caned-khalwat-malaysia/, (accessed on 25th February 2025).
[3] Joseph Masilamany, “Catholic MP questioned over criticism of mandatory Halal certification,” AsiaNews, 13th September 2024, “https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Catholic-MP-questioned-over-criticism-of-mandatory-Hahal-certification-61499.html (accessed 15th January 2025).
[4] “Court Orders Removal of ‘Islam’ from Man’s ID in Landmark Decision,” Persecution, 21st August 2024, https://www.persecution.org/2024/08/21/court-orders-removal-of-islam-from-mans-id-in-landmark-decision/ (accessed 15th January 2025).
[5] “Rohingyas face discrimination and hostility in Malaysia,” UCA News, 10th August 2021, https://www.ucanews.com/news/rohingya-face-discrimination-and-hostility-in-malaysia/93653 (accessed 15th January 2025).
[6] Joseph Masilamany, “Malaysian politician wants Bible back in Sarawak schools,” AsiaNews, 17th November 2024, https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Malaysian-politician-wants-Bible-back-in-Sarawak-schools-61924.html (accessed 15th January 2025).
[7] Fathimath Shiuza, “Foreign nationals arrested in Maldives for distributing anti-religious materials; remanded for 10 Days,” Maldives Voice, 29th March 2024, https://maldivesvoice.mv/722 (accessed 16th March 2025).
[8] Ibrahim H. Shihab, “Indian ‘Spiritual Guru’ Detained by Police,” Maldives Republic, 29th September 2023, https://mvrepublic.com/main-stories-in-maldives/indian-spiritual-guru-detained-by-police/ (accessed 16th March 2025).
[9] Darryl Coote, “U.S. sanctions 20 people accused of supporting ISIS, al-Qaida in Maldives,” UPI News, 1st August 2023, https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2023/08/01/sanctions-ISIS-al-Qaida-Maldives/2931690876750/ (accessed 20th February 2025).
[10] Yusrial, R. “Indonesian Women’s Alliance Warns TNI Law Could Trigger Women’s Collective Trauma,” Tempo. Co. 20 March 2025 https://en.tempo.co/read/1988672/indonesian-womens-alliance-warns-tni-law-could-trigger-womens-collective-trauma?tracking_page_direct (accessed on 25 March 2025).
[11] Harsono, A. “Behind Bars for ‘Blasphemy’ in Indonesia,” Human Rights Watch, 23 December 2023 https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/12/23/behind-bars-blasphemy-indonesia (accessed on 25 March 2025).
[12] Nicole Winfield and Edna Tarigan, “In Asia, pope urges Indonesia to live up to promise of “harmony in diversity,” fight extremism,” AP News, 4 September 2024, https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-visit-indonesia-asia-05c710ad993231bd8840c75f959f2b05 (accessed on 25 March 2025).
[13] Chin Soo Fang and Carmen Sin, “Once in a lifetime”: More than 50,000 gather at National Stadium for Pope Francis’ mass,” The Staits Times, 13th September 2024. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/once-in-a-lifetime-excitement-fills-national-stadium-as-pope-francis-arrives-for-papal-mass (accessed 20th September 2024).
[14] Guinto, J. and Simonette, V. “Mindanao: Four killed in explosion at Catholic Mass in Philippines,” BBC, 3rd December 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-67604592 (accessed 21st February 2025).
[15] Quinones, K. “Philippine Cardinal condemns as “horrendous sacrilegious act,” Catholic News Agency, 21st May 2024, https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/257766/philippine-cardinal-condemns-chapel-bombing-as-horrendous-sacrilegious-act (accessed 21st February 2025).
[16] “Philippine troops kill 11 suspected Islamic militants,” Voice of America , 2nd December 2023, https://www.voanews.com/a/philippine-troops-kill-11-suspected-islamic-militants-/7381850.html (accessed 21st February 2025).
[17] Status of Human Rights in Brunei for the 47th Session of the Universal Periodic Review, European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ), April 2025, https://upr-info.org/sites/default/files/country-document/2025-04/ECLJ_UPR47_BruneiDarussalam.pdf, (accessed 10th August 2025).
[18] “Twelve years later, $13 billion, no plan: Offshore processing drags into its thirteenth year,” Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), 19th July 2025, https://asrc.org.au/2025/07/19/twelve-years-later-offshore-processing/, (accessed 10th August 2025).
[19] Ibid
