Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he plans to take to encourage the authorities in Malaysia to prosecute effectively violations of fundamental freedoms of religion.

The UK supports freedom of religion and belief and the rights of minorities to practice their faith. We are aware of concerns in Malaysia about rising acts of religious intolerance and we regularly raise the issue of freedom of religion with the Malaysian authorities.

Freedom of religion was at the heart of my right hon. and noble Friend the former Minister of State's (Baroness Warsi's) visit to Malaysia in April this year. She had wide-ranging meetings on this issue, including with the Malaysian Prime Minister, and made a major speech setting out the UK position. We also pursue the importance of observing religious freedoms through Parliamentary and experts visits and through multi-lateral mechanisms, such as the EU and the UN. Our High Commission in Kuala Lumpur also speaks regularly to Malaysian civil society and faith groups to understand the context better.