Umno politicians must explain to the public their concept of Islam Hadhari instead of threatening harsh action against critics, said PAS leader Husam Musa.

"Do not champion Islamic issues through harsh means," he said when contacted today for comments on the controversy surrounding a posting on weblog Screenshots that ridiculed Islam Hadhari.

Malay-language daily Berita Harian had given the issue high profile, and Screenshots owner Jeff Ooi has been taken to task for failing to control the interactive forum on the weblog.

Following this, Deputy Internal Security Minister Noh Omar ( photo )threatened to use the Internal Security Act against the blogger while Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaluddin demanded a public apology.

Husam, who is PAS deputy information chief and Kelantan state executive councillor, said politicians must have a better understanding on the issue.

"How could the government (think of punishing) Ooi when he was merely allowing readers to post comments on his blog? How can you kill the plant just because parasites live on it?" he asked.

The PAS leader said Islam professes a high degree of tolerance in accepting people of different faiths.

"If a person has a wrong perception about Islam, Muslims must take the initiative to clear the misconception. The government should be mature enough to accommodate the voices of civil society," he added.

Explain concept

In a statement issued to reporters in Parliament earlier today, Husam described Islam Hadhari as just a political concept promoted by Umno and that it does not represent the faith itself.

He said the public should be educated about this "political product" first before it is promoted in the market place.

"Should 'Anwar' (the person who posted the message) be found, Umno owes him an education and explanation on the Islam Hadhari concept and its applications," Husam said.

"He deserves his absolute right to voice his views on Umno's political product, but he must be accountable for his actions," he added.

Husam also urged Umno politicians to investigate the case and evaluate the cause and effects of the posting before making unwise judgements or issuing threats.

"Ministers must be reminded that the people elect them, thus they must also respect public opinion," he said.

Husam called on Umno not to harp on this issue in order to allow it to "overshadow" the allegations of money politics besieging the party.

He also reminded the media to adhere to professional ethics and verify facts before publishing news reports.