PAS cannot take it for granted that all Malaysian Muslims will fall to their knees in gratitude and support an Islamic state. Aside from what Aizuddin Danian has pointed out ('Forget about checkout counters, tackle real issues', July 20), PAS also needs to consider women's issues.

Speaking as a Muslim woman, personally I find it disappointing and scary that PAS is, as usual, pushing for inconsequential things like separate queues for men and women in its quest for an Islamic state.

Disappointing because such 'issues' are so trivial as to be laughable. What does it matter that we're forced into separate queues, denied wearing makeup and forced to wear the tudung (and please, spare me the debate about Muslim women wearing this!) when our husbands can marry another woman (or three) behind our backs? What do these things matter when our husbands can marry again without even performing a simple courtesy as asking us?

And frankly, I find PAS' preoccupation with such issues frightening because underlying them seems to be the view that women are the root of all evil. Women must be separated in queues because it will mean fewer rapes. Women must wear the tudung because (you guessed it!) it will mean fewer rapes. Women must not wear any makeup, even a dash of lipstick, because it will incite sexual feelings and urges in men. What rubbish!

And in this entire hullabaloo, has PAS said anything about the men who commit disgusting crimes? Will PAS punish Muslim men who beat up their wives, or will they simply say it's all right, because the Quran says so (after all, how many men follow the Quran's teachings in its entirety)?

And maybe this sounds a little extreme, but will we head for a society where a man who commits a rape gets lightly slapped on the wrist whilst the woman is censured and sent to prison because she didn't cover her head? You may laugh and dismiss this as being ludicrous, but believe me, it's already happening in Jordan.

Then there are the claims that an Islamic state is the panacea to all our problems - because an Islamic state is run according to God's laws, it therefore follows that this will be a perfect state.

Now, as a Muslim, I believe that Allah's laws as set out in the Quran are perfect. However, I cannot say the same about its implementation because this is done by humans, and thus are subject to our interpretations. Who can deny that man is prone to making mistakes? Therefore, it follows that man (even our ulamas) will make mistakes when implementing God's laws.

After all, the modern incarnation of Islamic states isn't exactly encouraging as examples, is it? Will PAS allow single women to go anywhere unescorted? Will PAS ensure that men with more than one wife continue supporting their first wife?

These are real issues, and PAS would do well to tackle them honestly instead of muttering the usual phrases about how an Islamic state will benefit all.

I think PAS is doing a fairly good job in Kelantan and Terengganu. However, as Aizuddin Danian pointed out, while it's one thing to rule two states, it's quite a different thing ruling a country.