CHAPTER 4 - REPORT OF THE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS WORKING GROUP (ii) Tolerance should be emphasised It was stressed that all religions emphasise the principle of peace. Thus, Malaysians need to be moderate and tolerant in their dealings with one another. At the same time, individuals and groups should not remain silent about injustice perpetrated in the name of religion. (iii) Meaningful dialogue with stakeholders Participants were frustrated with local authorities who have formulated guidelines for places of worship without proper consultation with stakeholders. They were disappointed with the Government’s failure to act on numerous recommendations by religious groups and civil society organisations in the past. They questioned the sincerity of Government agencies in dealing with religion-based issues, pointing to the absence of representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Royal Malaysian Police, Islamic Development Department of Malaysia and the Federal Territory Islamic Affairs Department at the RTD. They pointed out the need for the Government to ensure that its policies and actions respect freedom of religion, and they called for more dialogues with relevant stakeholders to take into consideration their concerns and aspirations. At the same time, they maintained the need for all involved to exercise due care and not politicise the freedom of religion. (iv) Unity through education The education system should be reviewed to promote national unity, including the 1Malaysia concept. Teachers should play a more pro-active role in inculcating tolerance and respect among students for those of other races and faiths. The Vision School (Sekolah Wawasan) concept should be strengthened alongside the National Ideology (Rukun Negara), while a conflict management system or crisis management process should be institutionalised in schools. (v) Learn from best practices Malaysia should learn from the best practices of countries like Singapore, which has a Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act and has established a Presidential Council for Religious Harmony. The Department of National Unity and Integration in Malaysia should similarly play a more active role in educating society and promoting tolerance and respect for all religions. (vi) The Commission’s Role It was suggested that the Commission should intensify efforts to promote cultural and religious rights, and hold regular dialogues on the freedom of religion. It should also urge the Government to ratify the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. 62