Vision

The Vision of the Malaysian Interfaith Network (MIN) are primarily three issues:

  1. to proactively promote DIALOGUE between faith organizations in Malaysia
  2. to foster better UNDERSTANDING of common concerns and values and areas of contention.
  3. to organize specific ACTIONS, sharing information, service and advocation.

It will particularly draw on two documents as the guiding vision statement.

  1. DECLARATION ON RELIGIOUS HARMONY which was signed by representatives of all faiths on September 16 2001 in Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA
  2. The TAIPING DECLARATION on the CULTURE of PEACE which was adopted at the International Seminar of cities, meeting in the Peace Park in the historic town of Taiping (which means “Everlasting Peace”) in Malaysia on September 2001.

The Declaration on Religious Harmony reads as follows:

We the undersigned representatives of various faiths in Malaysia, do hereby declare that:

  1. Appreciate the importance of religious harmony in our beloved country Malaysia.
  2. We are determined to make Malaysia a land of peace, progress and prosperity.
  3. We acknowledge that our pluralistic and diverse cultural traditions are assets to our country.

Further we pledge:

  1. To uphold the freedom of religion as a fundamental right.
  2. To accept all human beings as brothers and sisters, and to develop the virtues of compassion, love and purity as we strive to follow our own religions.
  3. To be merciful, patient, respectful, and understanding as we cooperate with one another to promote dialogue for a peaceful, progressive and prosperous Malaysia.
  4. To strive with sincerity and commitment for national unity and harmony based on religious principles.

Signed 16 September 2001 by:

Ven Dr Sri Dhammananda – Buddhist,
Dr M Sreenivasan & A Manisekaran – Baha’ I Faith,
Archbishop Soter Fernandez & Dr John Gurusamy – Christian,
Swami Tanmayananda & Mother Mangalam – Hindu,
Harcharan Singh & Harbinder Singh – Sikh,
Dr Happy Tong – Confucian,
Dato Ghazali bin Dato Mohd Yusoff & Daniel Hakim Boey – Muslim,

Witnessed by:
Dr Amir Farid bin Dato Isahak, Chairman of INSaF.

The Taiping Declaration of the Culture of Peace reads as follows:

We, the participants of the International Seminar on “Making Cities People Friendly” meeting in the PEACE PARK of the historic town of Taiping (which means “Everlasting Peace”) in Malaysia on September 24, 2001:

  • Express our shock and sadness on the tragic and violent events in New York City and elsewhere and the loss of thousands of innocent lives of peoples of many faiths and from many countries
  • Condemn violence and terrorism as a means of settling disputes
  • Calls upon the United Nations, governments and all peoples of the world to strengthen their resolve for peace and justice by promoting, protecting and supporting strategies and actions to promote a CULTURE OF PEACE which includes the following:
    1. Respect All Life – Respect the life and dignity of each human being without discrimination or prejudice.
    2. Reject Violence – Practice active non-violence, rejecting violence in all its forms: physical, sexual, psychological, economical and social, in particular towards the most deprived and vulnerable such as children and adolescents.
    3. Share With Others – Share our time and material resources in spirit of generosity to put an end to exclusion, injustice and political and economic oppression.
    4. Listen To Understand – Defend freedom of expression and cultural diversity, giving preference always to dialogue and listening without engaging in fanatism, defamation and rejection of others.
    5. Preserve The Planet – Promote consumer behaviour that is responsible and development practices that respect all forms of life and preserve the balance of nature on the planet.
    6. Rediscover Solidarity – Contribute to the development of our community, with the full participation of women and respect for democratic principles, in order to create together new forms of solidarity.
  • Calls on the United Nations, peace loving governments and people to set up a World Commission on Peace and Justice to examine the roots of the current proliferation of violence and terrorism and to develop recommendations for action that will support a Culture of Peace.
  • Call on all peoples of wisdom and power to spread the following messages from 2 great leaders of peace and non-violence:

We must remember that darkness can never overcome darkness and hatred will never overcome hatred. Only light can pierce darkness, only love can soften hatred, only peace can defeat violence.
– Martin Luther King

I object to violence… because when it does appear to do good, the good is only temporary – the evil it does is permanent.
– Gandhi