ABSTRACT
Despite the pluralism of Malaysian state and society, ethnic prejudice continues to condition the way in which communities, especially the Malays and Chinese, view each other Stereotypes persist of ‘greedy Chinese’ or ‘lazy Malays’—sometimes compounded by newer stereotypes about ‘violent Islam.’ In this context, it is worth exploring the common ethics of Islam and Confucianism to arrive at a greater recognition of shared values. That was the mission of the new Centre for Civilisational Dialogue that I headed at the University of Malaya between 1997 and 1999. Even before the centre was established, the University of Malaya held a conference on Islam and Confucianism that gathered together leading scholars from both traditions. The following article was presented at that meeting, and appeared in the volume of essays published thereafter (Islam and Confucianism: a Civilisational Dialogue, University of Malaya Press, 1997). Another version also appeared in Religions in Dialogue Volume 4 (Institute for Interreligious Studies, Nachrodt, Germany, 1996).
