A shift toward more rigid and political Islamic practice has occurred, Musa believes, because of an influx of Salafist scholars returning from Saudi Arabia.
...
While there exists no federal law against apostasy, Malaysian states have tried to implement death-for-apostasy laws, remarked Bob Churchill, director of communications at the International Humanist and Ethical Union organization.
And these “contribute to marginalizing and intimidating people who otherwise might come out as non-religious,†said Churchill.
http://thediplomat.com/2017/08/intolerance-rising-atheists-at-risk-in-malaysia/