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survey measuring regional tolerance revealed that Indonesian Muslims showed a slightly more tolerant attitude toward non-Muslim fellow countrymen, compared to Malaysian Muslims toward non-Muslims in their country.

According to the survey, jointly conducted by research firms Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) and Malaysia-based Merdeka Center, 46.2 percent of Muslim respondents in Indonesia have a positive view of non-Muslims even though they were not friends, only second after Thailand, which scored 65 percent, and slightly above Malaysia at 45.3 percent.

The survey, which was conducted from Sept. 8, 2017, to Jan. 31, 2018, questioned 5,014 respondents aged 18 and above from four countries in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, except in Indonesia, where they surveyed respondents aged 17 and above — the legal adult age in the country.

The indicators of tolerance in the study included the respondents’ view toward other citizens who share the same religion or those of a different faith.

The survey also showed that Indonesian non-Muslims were even more tolerant of Muslims, with seven out of 10 respondents saying they had positive feelings toward Muslim citizens. The figure is the highest among the surveyed countries.

However, such positive views did not reflect the way they socialize, as both Indonesian Muslims and non-Muslims still preferred people of the same faith to be kept as closest friends. Muslims and non-Muslims scored only 1.4 and 2.8 (on a scale of 5) in terms of making friends with those of different faiths, the lowest among the surveyed countries.

Malaysia, which has Islam as its official religion, showed a higher figure with 1.8 and 3 out of 5 for Muslim and non-Muslims, respectively.

A senior researcher at the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies (IKMAS), Faisal S. Haziz, who was involved in the research, said the level of tolerance in the four surveyed countries was considered moderate but still indicated the potential of intolerance.

“In Malaysia, we have an official Islamic authority that defines how Islam should be interpreted and so on. You don’t have that in Indonesia, so you have a sense of how Islam should be practiced,” he said in Jakarta on Thursday.

Perhaps to offer consolation, Faisal said increasing intolerance was a global trend, rather than a unique development in the region.

”However, I am optimistic that we can tackle this issue as long as we keep promoting respect and tolerance,” he said.

The survey also questioned respondents about their life priority, with 28.7 percent of Muslim respondents in Indonesia saying being a good person is the most important, while 30 percent of respondents from other countries prioritized being a good Muslim.

Social psychologist Ananthi Al Ramiah, who was also involved in the research, said such preferences were a key indicator in measuring overall levels of intolerance as it would shape their outlook on life and the way they perceive other people.

She said that is why “an education system that promotes respect for others is essential to fighting intolerance”.

Gadjah Mada University sociologist Hakimul Ikhwan highlighted how Indonesians were proud of the diversity in the country but limited their interaction with people of different religious backgrounds.

“We are getting even more divided,” he said.

Rizka Halida, a senior researcher at the LSI, which led the Indonesia survey, suggested that intensive interaction among citizens would improve the level of understanding among people, particularly those of different religious backgrounds. (sau)