COMMENT | During a recent interview with a nun, it was by chance I discovered that Sister Laurencia was born to a Muslim mother and whose father’s faith was categorised as “other faiths” in Indonesia.

Having grown up in a society that is increasingly bigoted along racial lines, I could not imagine our neighbouring country to be so liberal.

In Indonesia, there is no forced conversion into Islam and no law forbidding proselytising. Married interfaith couples can cohabit while practising their respective religions, without fearing peeping Toms waiting to haul them to the syariah court.

Despite not adopting the precautions Malaysia has put in place, Indonesia is able to remain the country with the largest Muslim population in the world that resents racial or religious politicking.

However, things were not the same more than five years ago...