relations in Malaysia has taken a hit in recent years, compounded by the unfettered rise of right-wing Muslim groups like Perkasa and the Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma).The countrys minority groups have repeatedly lashed out at the authorities allegedly nonchalant responses to remarks issued by Muslim fundamentalists against the sensitivities of the non-Muslims here, insisting that their inaction have only emboldened these groups and others into inciting more violence and hatred.In April last year, a controversial seminar held at the Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) earned headlines when several Muslim speakers criticised Christianity, even saying that Christians should convert to Islam.Isma has also been seen as taking a stronger stance on religion. Last year, the group labelled liberty and human rights as godless and faithless ideologies.On April 30, influential UK paper Financial Times columnist David Pilling had written that growing religious intolerance in Asian countries could turn into a disaster for the region.He cited Malaysia as an example of yet another country with hardening ideology but did not elaborate on the disaster this might cause.Malaysia also made international headlines when it banned a Catholic Church publication from using the word Allah, which is deemed here as exclusive to Muslims, as well as the seizure of Malay and Iban medium Bibles from the Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) last year.Just last month, a group of Muslims protested against a churchs hanging of a cross on its facade, claiming the symbol was a threat to them and their religious beliefs