Malaysia can never be Islamic state, says Mahathir

Speaking in Parliament, the Prime Minister has reiterated that an Islamic state will not work because of the country's multi-racial make-up

By Leslie Lau
IN KUALA LUMPUR

THE Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad, has reiterated his government's stand that an Islamic state cannot be formed because of the multi-racial make-up of the country.

He said that even the opposition Islamic Party (PAS), which has made the formation of an Islamic state the cornerstone of its political struggle, was unable to impose Islamic or Syariah laws in the two states it controls.

'We have many Islamic laws in this country, but PAS continues to make trouble. They control the state governments in Kelantan and Terengganu and yet they have not been able to impose Islamic laws there,' he said.

He was speaking during question time in Parliament yesterday where he answered questions on the proposed Malay unity talks between Umno and PAS.

PAS secretary-general Nasharudin Mat Isa asked the Premier during the session if Umno was calling for Malay unity talks because it had lost support among the community.

'When Kelantan wanted to impose the Syariah or Hudud law, Umno said it could not be done because Malaysia is a multi-racial country.

'But that multi-racial concept has now been forgotten because Umno has lost support,' he said.

Dr Mahathir responded by accusing PAS of only wanting to use the Islamic card to gain the support of the Muslims.

He said PAS was using Islam to mislead and undermine Muslims, citing the labelling of Umno members as infidels by PAS as an example.

He added that Malaysia was a liberal and multi-racial country that allowed all communities the freedom to practise their own religion and speak their own languages.

As an example, he said, the government never asked the Chinese community to convert to Islam or change their names as a requirement of citizenship.

'If we wished to have a truly Malaysian race, then the best way is through assimilation, but we are a liberal country, more than even the United States where only one language is used,' he said.

He said Umno was not opposed to Islamic laws but it could create problems if a large majority of the country were non-Muslims.

'And Islam does not teach us to create problems,' he said.

Though he attacked PAS for its Islamic policies, he still urged the party to come to the table and participate in the proposed Malay unity talks.

He said PAS would not be destroyed just because it joined Umno in upholding Malay rights.

He said Umno's emphasis on Malay unity would not impinge on national unity and did not mean the party wished to go to war with non-Malays.

He also reiterated his party's stand that the proposed talks were meant to defend the special rights of Malays and the position of Islam as the official religion as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.

'Malay unity is needed when there is a threat to these rights and the threat affects all Malays from Umno or PAS,' he said.

PAS has laid down a host of conditions it wants met before it will come to the table for talks. It wants the payment of oil royalties to the Terengganu government to be reinstated and a permit to allow it to publish its newspaper twice a week.

It also wants the talks to be wide-ranging and to include issues such as the independence of the judiciary, freedom of assembly and national unity.

'I do not know if PAS is under pressure to include national unity in the talks but its conditions have nothing to do with unity,' Dr Mahathir said.

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NST Singapore