Raids and fines for Ramadan fast breaking spotlight rising religious conservatism in multicultural Malaysia

CNN —

Religious authorities in Malaysia have stepped up moral policing efforts during the holy month of Ramadan in what critics warn has been part of a wider recent shift toward a more conservative form of Islam in the multi-racial and culturally diverse nation.

Ramadan, regarded as the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, is celebrated by Muslims around the world who abstain from eating, drinking, and sexual acts during daylight hours and break their fast after sundown.

It is a month of deep spiritual reflection and celebration with friends and family – but can also be far from easy, as anyone who has tried fasting can attest.

In many parts of Malaysia, Muslims caught eating or drinking during daytime hours can find themselves on the wrong side of the law.

Around 20.6 million of Malaysia’s 34 million-strong population are Muslims, but the country is also home to sizeable ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities that include Buddhists, Christians and Hindus, as well as indigenous communities.

Muslim devotees offer night prayers marking the start of Islam's holy fasting month of Ramadan at Istiqlal mosque in Jakarta on March 11, 2024. gallery

Related gallery In pictures: Muslims observe Ramadan around the globe

Under the country’s unusual dual track legal system, which is also federal and varies from state to state, Muslims are subject to sharia law on a host of social issues including marriage, divorce and fasting.

Religious police tend to ramp up their presence during Ramadan, activists note, which ends later this week, patrolling the streets more visibly and staking out at popular eateries – sometimes in disguise – to catch those breaching the rules.

Those caught eating or drinking during daytime hours face fines