Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today dismissed the statement by a Muslim religious body that any form of support for the United States' strike against Afghanistan is haram (forbidden for Muslims) as invalid.

"It has no right to make any fatwa (religious edict). Only the National Fatwa Council has the right to do this," the minister told a press conference after opening an Immigration Day function in Kuala Lumpur.

The National Fatwa Council is an national-level Islamic body responsible for decreeing religious edicts.

Abdullah was responding to the 16 strongly worded resolutions passed at a one-day conference organised by the Malaysian Ulamas Association or PUM yesterday.

In one resolution, the US was referred to as the "Western imperialist supported by the Jewish-Zionist movement which clearly tried to dominate Muslims in all fields".

Apart from one resolution which stated that support for US is haram, the conference also resolved that any US attack on Afghanistan and other Muslim countries, in the name of fighting terrorism, is an assault on Islam and Muslims.

'Jihad' an obligation

The resolutions also approved that jihad (holy war) is an obligation for all Muslims in order to defend Muslim territories in the world from attacks by "enemies of Islam".

The body went on to urge the US to stop immediately its military attacks on Afghanistan, and Muslims to boycott American products, services and social activities. The Organisation of Islamic Organisation was also urged to help resolve the crisis in Afghanistan.

Abdullah nevertheless stressed that certain resolutions passed by the PUM's conference were similar with the government's stand.

However, he implied that it is impossible for Malaysia to cut off ties completely with the US.

"They (PUM) don't favour the US attacks on Afghanistan, but they should know that the government is also against any form of violence on any country," he said.

Malaysian government has taken a cautious stand and voiced out against the US strikes on Afghanistan which started on Oct 8, and condemns the Sept 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

Citing Palestinians who had suffered from unjust Western policies as an example, local politicians and academics have repeatedly called on the US to address the cause of terrorism instead of waging war on any countries.