UTAR signs MoA with YBBM to conduct study on Chinese traditional religions and conversion in Malaysia

UTAR and Yayasan Belia Buddhist Malaysia (YBBM) signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) on 25 October 2021 at UTAR Sungai Long Campus to carry out a collaborative research on “Chinese Traditional Religions and Conversion in Malaysia”.

Significant changes have enveloped Chinese Malaysians’ religions, and the traditional Chinese religions are losing clout. The research, therefore, sets out to explore reasons for the said phenomenon.

The research will be funded by YBBM. Under the MoA, YBBM will allocate a fund amounting to RM34,700 and other resources needed for UTAR researchers to carry out the research.

The signatories were UTAR President Ir Prof Dr Ewe Hong Tat and YBBM Chairman Dato’ Ir Ang Choo Hong. The signing was witnessed by UTAR Institute of Postgraduate Studies and Research Director Assoc Prof Dr Yong Thian Khok and YBBM Hon. Chief Operating Officer Wong Sook Kim.

Prof Ewe

In his remarks, Prof Ewe enthused, “Early this year, UTAR and YBBM signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to carry out collaborative research on Malaysian Buddhism. Today, we are happy to extend this collaboration further with this MoA between UTAR and Yayasan Belia Buddhist Malaysia for a research in the area of ‘Chinese Traditional Religions and Conversion in Malaysia’. By combining our expertise and resources together, we will be able to expand the breadth and depth of the research and maximise its impact on society and the academia. We are happy to be able to do our part as a collaborative partner for better and impactful outcomes by working together.”

Dato’ Ang

Dato’ Ang in his speech said, “Traditionally, most Chinese embrace a religious practice that is a synthesis of Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Ancestral Worship and Folk believes. While most Chinese in Malaysia professed to be Buddhists, in practice a lot of them follow the synthesised belief system. This form of synthesised belief system, wherein Buddhism is an important part of it, had suffered the loss of believers over the years.  In the 1970 population census, such synthesised belief system believers constituted 92% of the Chinese population.  This percentage had since dropped to 86% in 2000.  It would be interesting to know what the percentage is like in the 2020 census. Worldwide, the trend is equally worrying.  According to Pew Research, all religious groups would increase in numbers by 2050, except Buddhism.  Buddhist population from 2010 to 2050 would remain more or less stagnant, with the percentage dropping from 7.1% to 5.9% during this period.  

He added, “For those of us who are in the Buddhist movement, we would like to know scientifically or rationally what are the causes that brought about such a trend.  For example, young people are getting fed up with the Chinese funeral service; the nucleus family is making it difficult for the traditions to be transmitted; urbanisation is tearing apart the long-held traditions; lack of formal Buddhist education in the schools is making the Chinese ignorant of their religious teachings, and so on.”

He continued, “Ninety per cent of the people in this world follow our religion not because of conviction but because of tradition. Most of us follow because our ancestors practised it. Therefore, we need to have a sound knowledge of what is happening to enable us to craft our strategies and to make the right decisions in dealing with this issue. We proposed to have a study on this matter, and I am glad that UTAR had gracefully responded and agreed to undertake this project. We look forward to our joint venture hoping that this will become another milestone in our Buddhist development work.”

Also present at the signing ceremony were YBBM Director Teh Lai Tien and Yeoh Kia Gee, UTAR Chairperson of Tun Tan Cheng Lock Centre for Social and Policy Studies Assoc Prof Dr Chin Yee Mun, Faculty of Creative Industries Department of Modern Languages Dr Angeline Wong Wei Wei and DCInterNet Senior Assistant Manager Ong Yoon Furn.

Prof Ewe (left) and Dato’ Ang (right) with the signed MoA documents

Prof Ewe (left) and Dato’ Ang (right) exchanging tokens of appreciation

 

From left: Wong, Dr Angeline Wong, Prof Ewe, Yeoh, Dato’ Ang, Teh, Dr Yong and Dr Chin