feature Forum after forum after forum the issue remains unresolved are we or are we not an Islamic state? The prime minister dropped his bombshell declaration last year that we are. At a recent forum to answer the question, the Institute of Islamic Understanding (Ikim) said yes, PAS said no, Lim Kit Siang said it is never too early to resist...

And this writer is left doodling on her notepad.

Had moderator Dr Patricia Martinez not put our collective foot down (albeit very gently) at the forum organised by the St Francis Xavier's Church in Petaling Jaya for its members, the leading-to-nowhere agora would have gone on till late leaving the 600-odd audience bleary-eyed and this writer grumbling for not having reached any closer to an explanation.

PAS vice-president Dr Hasan Mohamed Ali was clearly in a beat-around-the-bush mode. He was quite adamant that Malaysia was clearly not an Islamic state. Had it been an Islamic state, the bumiputra policy would have been done away with, he implied.

He didn't exactly put it in those words, but answering questions from the floor, Hasan conceded that pro-bumiputra policies would eventually be removed if PAS got control of the country.

But not presently, because the Malays are still not at par with the rest, he said.

Instead of clarifying PAS' stand on the issue and defining PAS' interpretation of an Islamic state, the sermon of the day delivered by the member of parliament for Parit Buntar harboured on the ruling government's unfair treatment of the opposition.

The congregation were told in as many repeats as he could put in that opposition MPs are not given a financial allocation for their constituency. They cannot hold ceramah. The opposition is assailed on television with comparisons to terrorists and the Taliban.

Ignoble louts, are we?

Yes, we got it the first time, Hasan. Now, what is PAS' take on Malaysia as an Islamic state?

Hasan alluded that PAS' rule would be perfect - we will be benevolent as we are noble, the speaker seemed to say. The writer is waiting to see this one come true.

And according to Hasan, PAS won in Kelantan and Terengganu because the two were religious states. What are the rest of us in the other states then irreligious and ignoble louts dabbling in devilry?

DAP national chairperson Lim (when it was his turn to speak) came to the rescue and clarified that PAS had won the elections in the two northern states on the Anwar Ibrahim factor. Hasan did not deny this.

Anuar Abdul Razak, a fellow of Ikim, tried his best to convince the audience that Malaysia was already an Islamic state going by the criteria he read off a list:

  • the country had a majority Muslim population at above 60 percent;
  • its leadership hinged on the bumiputra who are largely Muslim; and
  • there is a peaceful atmosphere to practise integration and a productive co-existence with other races and religions.

    • Second, third and fourth class

    He also explained that:

  • although Islam is connected with the sword, it is a peaceful religion;
  • Islam emphasises freedom of thought; and
  • Malaysia has enjoyed peace for 44 years hence it must mean that justice is practised in the country (Somebody, please turn on the light for Anuar).

    • Anuar did concede that there could be imperfections in the system of justice and law, which will need to be reformed.

    However, he further qualified Malaysia as an Islamic state because:

  • there are ongoing efforts to eradicate poverty; and
  • there are ongoing efforts to enable people of different religious and ethnic backgrounds to live in harmony.

    • All of the above is well and good. But how he convinced himself that the audience bought his propaganda, only heaven knows. Because, in his sum-up, he ventured to ask the audience if they felt like second-class citizens.

    And the poor fellow looked so taken aback at the rousing "yes!" from the audience. Then there was a momentary pause before Anuar followed up with: "Then some Malays will feel like third and fourth class citizens."

    Responding later to Anuar's speech, PAS' Hasan fell short of calling him a Barisan Nasional mouthpiece. He said Anuar words did not come from the heart and that he was "merely toeing the line".

    Spirit not withdrawn

    Veteran politician Lim zeroed in on the Islamic state issue and referred to the booklet published by the Information Ministry entitled Malaysia adalah sebuah negara Islam.

    Although the publication has since been withdrawn, Lim said it was of no point if the spirit of the matter continued to exist, as can be found in an article on the Jakim (Department for the Development of Islam) website.

    That article entitled Malaysia Negara Islam says: "Malaysia's status as an Islamic country cannot be disputed anymore, as such is it better to accept the reality ...

    It goes on to say that the countries of the world are divided into three categories:

    1) Islamic countries;
    2) Non-Islamic (kafir) countries at war with Islam; and
    3) Non-Islamic countries that are not at war with Islam.

    Going by this categorisation, it is obvious which section Malaysia falls into.

    But Lim said Malaysia is none of the above. Stressing that the Federal Constitution says we are multireligious and multicultural, he asked: "Are we to jettison these principles of the past 44 years?"

    He said the issue cannot be resolved in the "stealth of the night" and called for rational, open debate on the matter.

    Utopia or Ethiopia?

    In his sum-up, Hasan said PAS' Islamic state will see a society where there is justice, equality and growth which "will enable men to become what God meant them to be".

    And curiously, this speaker from PAS also said, "We don't need to change the constitution to make Malaysia an Islamic state."

    He said Malaysia would be an Utopia (or did he say Ethiopia?) if it were an Islamic state. Perhaps Hasan, who holds a PhD, from the University of Wisconsin can be forgiven for confusing the two. But one wonders if he really did mean Ethiopia...

    And as for freedom is this country, Hasan said in jest, " ...we are free to go to the pasar malam (night market)".

    Meanwhile, Anuar clarifying a question posed by Lim said Ikim did not function solely as an adviser to the government. He said: "We are just a think-tank. Sometimes they (the government) listen; sometimes, no".

    And thus the debate continues...