PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar's controversial remark that there should be no "compulsion in religion" has drawn flak from various quarters, including a leader of a fellow Pakatan Rakyat coalition party, PAS Dewan Ulama chief Harun Taib.

NONE Malay daily Berita Harian today quoted Harun (right) as saying Nurul should not make such a remark if she does not understand the issue.

"If (she) does not know, don't talk because it could cause the people to make a wrong assumption of those who issue the statement," he is reported as saying.

National Fatwa Council chairperson Abdul Shukor Husin described Nurul Izzah's statement as clearly suspicious and that it could confuse the public.

"The view given is as if Malays can choose other than Islamic law, whereas when one is born as Muslim or embraces Islam, one has to perform as per the regulations determined by Islam, either in the form of rules or by Allah's laws.

"For example, (they) are obliged to pray and pay z akat because there is no other choice in carrying out such religious obligations," he told Berita Harian.

Others who joined in condemning Nurul included Jalur Tiga chief Hasan Ali, Kelantan mufti Mohd Shukri Muhamad and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Jamil Khir Baharom , Perak mufti Harussani Zakaria, Wanita Umno chief Shahrizat Abdul Jalil and Kulim Bandar Baru Independent MP Zulkifli Noordin.

The Lembah Pantai MP had said that there was no compulsion in religion when responding to a question at a forum last Saturday on whether religious freedom also applied to Malays.

However, Nurul Izzah added, she was tied to the prevailing views in the country.

Citing Malaysiakini's report on the forum, Umno-owned Malay daily Utusan Malaysia front-paged the remark yesterday, questioning whether she supported apostasy.

Nurul Izzah vehemently denied this in a statement on Sunday, stating that she neither accepted nor encouraged apostasy.

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