'These religious teachers are traitors'

Many Islamic religious teachers are betraying the country, said former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

This is because while the nation’s youth are in dire need of acquiring knowledge as well as good ‘life values’, many students are taught only the ritualistic aspects of the religion and to be members of their teachers’ political parties, he said.

Speaking at a seminar in Kuala Lumpur on the future of national education, Mahathir said such a tendency on the part of Islamic religious teachers borders on treachery.

"If they teach religion, they focus on things like prayers, fasting, zakat (religious tax), and other things, but noble life values that are demanded by Islam are not as stressed upon and imparted to their students," he told an audience at the International Islamic University Malaysia.

Wrong message to kids

"At times we are disappointed, because (religious) teachers make known their political stand and work towards ensuring that their students, when they grow up, support certain parties.

"This is something that is not good. I do not want to say this is treachery, but it is ‘dekat-dekat lah’ (very close to it)," he added.

Although the former premier did not mention PAS, similar comments uttered in the past suggest he had the Islamic opposition primarily in mind.

In his last address as Umno president in June 2003 before he stepped down later that year, Mahathir told his party that PAS sympathisers teaching in public schools and community religious schools (SAR) were implanting the wrong things into children’s minds.

"We have seen that when this generation matures, they blindly believe this wrong interpretation of Islam," he said in his speech.

"They do not know how to thank people and be grateful, love to falsely accuse other Muslims and to hear the fitnah (slander) by certain people and they make enemies of other Muslims," he added.