KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Shia Muslims in Malaysia have made a rare public plea for authorities to let them legally worship amid fears of a clampdown on outlawed religious groups.
Malaysia's government considers the Shia denomination illegal. It allows only Sunni Islam to be practiced by Muslims, who make up nearly two-thirds of this Southeast Asian country's population.
Islamic authorities detained more than 200 Shia Muslims, also called Shiites, at a prayer meeting in central Malaysia earlier this month in one of the largest recent mass arrests of its kind.
Muhammad Sha'ani Abdullah of Malaysia's government-backed human rights watchdog said Tuesday that Shiite community representatives have sought his help to curb any further crackdown.
