We,meaning discredited UMNO and, perhaps its friends in PAS, are “committed to making Malaysia an Islamic State”

Quote from remarks by one Inche Asyraf, a Minister in the BN government. He may not be a household name, and arch crook Najib might have preferred him to be more discreet, but he is still a BN minister and must be assumed to be setting out BN policy.

There is nothing surprising in this statement by Asyraf. The loss by UMNO of much of its support, due to the criminal activities of its President Najib, is clearly worrying UMNO cadres; and the latest public declaration by a PAS leader that it is NOT in coalition with UMNO cannot be helpful. Is this latest statement an attempt to shore up PAS support?

Inche Asyraf does not set out his qualifications for office but it is reasonable to assume that any Minister is familiar with the basic law, the Constitution, by virtue of which his job and salary exist. The basic law makes it quite clear that while Islam is the “official” religion of Malaysia all other religions are free to exist and practice their particular beliefs. This alone makes the creation of an “Islamic State” an impossibility.

And, in any case, who, apart from some religious fanatics, wants it in Malaysia” Of course this promise, like all other BN promises, is mere “pie in the sky” but in the light of the dangerous example given by ISIL who in their right minds wants something similar in Malaysia? So let Iche Asyraf go to his electorate with that promise and other UMNO fanatics to theirs similarly and see where it gets them..Meanwhile let the majority of loyal Malay Malaysian citizens listen to the recent advice of the Rulers and show their disapproval. At the ballot box.