By Deborah Loh, The Nut Graph
IF there is one enduring debate in Malaysia, it is whether this country is an Islamic or secular state. No less because successive prime ministers keep making declarations that it is an Islamic state to much public confusion.
Islam is the official religion of the federation. But what does "official" mean? Are we being made to choose between an Islamic state or a secular one?
At the Bar Council's launch of its Constitutional Law Committee's MyConstitution or PerlembagaanKu campaign on 13 Nov, the public forum that followed the launch saw this issue being raised again with a question from the floor.
What is Malaysia?
The panel of lawyers and academics were divided. Human rights and constitutional lawyer Malik Imtiaz Sarwar said a secular state was good for Islam to flourish.
Universiti Malaya law lecturer Assoc Prof Dr Azmi Sharom said the Federal Constitution was a secular document, from which even the syariah courts derived their powers. The state was secular, he argued, because none of its institutions got their powers from religious authority, but from the constitution.
written by SeriousLy, December 08, 2009 21:47:33
Even though that Malaysia is a Commonwealth State, we do not need to be stupid to keep the laws that the British set up to keep us in a CONFUSED STATE! The UMNO Kings, Queens, Prices' and Princesses thinks that this country belongs to them and the people of Malaysia will forever vote and serve them! Then it may be a PROBLEMATIC STATE that now UMNO continue to rule Malaysia as a POLICE & CORRUPTED STATE! 
Worse at this point of time that now we are in DIVIDED STATE even that the Opposition won a few STATE! 
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written by BAYANGKARA, December 08, 2009 21:36:49
Assoc Prof Dr Azmi Sharom is the most logical, well-reasoned and substantive of the lot. He draws the highest authority for his argument from the constitution, the mother from which all legislative power is derived, including the power pass sharia laws. Our first PM said so. He also said that Islam was the official religion for ceremonial purposes only. The Reid and Cobbold Commissions reports also referred to the constitution as a secular. Is that so hard to understand?
Aziz Bari and Sulaiman Abdullah? Have a good laugh!! What shallow interpretations!
The picture was first muddled by none other than Mamakutty and then later by the muddle-headed, wavering Bodowi and the medieval hordes from UMNO.
To all the protagonists of an Islamic state, be true to the religion and to yourself. What's so Islamic about Malaysia? Rituals, banning beer, banning concerts, praying five times a day and going through the motions of what you perceived to be Islamic do not constitute the essence of Islam. The worst crimes have been committed by people who professed to be Muslim. As RPK so boldly and so often put it, Muslims themselves are responsible for the worst perceptions of Islam and Muslims.
Practise the wholesome principles of justice for all, equality for all races, governance for the people, protection of the weak and minorities, tackle corruption and bring the perpetrators of murder, rape, theft, robbery and other crimes to account including the rich and powerful, then Malaysia would have some semblance of a true Islamic state. Never mind if the label says "secular". You can be Islamic in deed and practice so long as you are fair, non-racist, just and honest. Preach the truth and practise what you preach.......lIke Tok Guru. I can live with that.
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written by eloofk, December 08, 2009 20:32:13
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written by Watchdog, December 08, 2009 20:05:59
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