The opposition coalition must reassure Malaysians that there would not be any setting up of a theocratic state as along as the people are not ready, DAP publicity secretary Ronnie Liu said today.

He added that no one should force a theocratic state (where everything comes under the purview of an exclusive religion) upon the people if they are not ready to accept it.

"We need a society free of all forms of oppressions and suppressions, guided by the universal values and virtues of various religions.

"We have all recognised and accepted the fact that Malaysia is an Islamic country, where Islam is the official religion and all other religions are to be practised freely in this country," Liu said in a press statement.

He also said that Barisan Alternatif should realise that it was making a big mistake by entangling itself in a discourse that could only instill fear and create anxiety among its supporters.

"The individual parties need not convince each other. Who we need to convince are the people we claim to represent," Liu said.

BA's top priority, he added, should be to serve the people and right the wrongs of the present Barisan Nasional government.

"We have promised to respect our differences and cooperate on the common denominators. This common platform must be sustained at all times, whether we have grown stronger or weaker," Liu added.

The opposition coalition is embroiled in an on going public debate over the Islamic state controversy.

The Islamic state has long been a thorny issue between DAP and PAS despite their alliance in the opposition front in recent years.

DAP has claimed that it lost many Chinese votes in the last general elections in 1999 due to widespread fear among the non-Muslims that it was working too closely with the Muslim-based PAS.

Leadership meeting

The latest squabble came about last week after some top PAS leaders, particularly Terengganu Mentri Besar Abdul Hadi Awang, persisted in setting up an Islamic state if PAS comes into power.

DAP threatened to withdraw itself from BA if PAS did not explain its concept of an Islamic state to clear the air.

It also asked PAS to leave the coalition if the party is maintaining its stand on setting up an Islamic state if it were to come into power.

The other two member parties of BA, Keadilan and PRM, subsequently stepped in to try to put an end to the feud, reiterating that they have never endorsed the idea of an Islamic state.

Keadilan has called for a high-level leadership meeting among the parties to resolve the issue while PRM president Dr Syed Husin Ali has urged both parties to stop the finger-pointing which will only benefit the ruling coalition BN.