Malaysia's government is full of thieves who fear an Islamic state because their hands would have to be chopped off, a leader of the main opposition party said Monday.
Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, the revered spiritual chief of Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) and chief minister of Kelantan state, said this was why the government was whipping up anti-PAS feeling in the Chinese community.
He told a meeting with some 300 Chinese members of the Democratic Action Party (DAP) -- PAS's ally in an opposition coalition -- that the community had nothing to fear from his party's aim for an Islamic state.
Nik Abdul Aziz said Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's United Malays National Organization (UMNO) "steals from the banks", citing rising cases of bailouts for troubled companies linked to the government.
"Bailout is robbing from the people although not directly but through the banks... those who protect our society are all fellow thieves, so of course they don't like it because their hands would have to be cut off," he said.
PAS-ruled Kelantan state passed strict Islamic criminal laws providing for amputation for thieves and stoning for adultery in 1993 but they were vetoed by the federal government.
PAS rose to prominence in 1999 general elections when it also won neighboring Terengganu state and increased its parliamentary seats at the expense of UMNO.
It is growing in influence in Pahang -- the home state of the Chinese delegation which visited Nik Abdul Aziz Monday -- and some other northern states ahead of the next general elections which must be called by 2004.
The chief minister said Chinese groups were now constantly brought to Kelantan to witness PAS's tolerance of other religions and culture.
"We must not be deceived by UMNO's lies of Islamic extremism," he told the crowd, saying a PAS Islamic state centered on the well-being of the family and helping the poor regardless of race.
"We don't teach people to kill the Chinese or steal from them. The Chinese in Kelantan are not worried at all, they are safe here."
He assured the minority Chinese community of tolerance if his party came to power, but warned of a crackdown on a popular Chinese pastime -- gambling.
He reiterated that Malaysia's sole casino, in the Genting Highlands in Pahang state near Kuala Lumpur, must be shut down, saying gambling joints were "nests for vice."
"Gambling only benefits the owner. We cannot defend one man's interest but we must protect the well-being of the majority," he said in reply to a question.
"When people start to gamble, they leave their families at home, start drinking and womanising and this leads to adultery. Who would want this to befall them?" he asked.
"There is no tragedy in setting up an Islamic state... Kelantan is an example of an Islamic state. We live peacefully, there are no heavy taxes on the people, no corruption and it is easy to do business."
Nik Abdul Aziz told reporters later that PAS, if it came to power in Pahang or nationally, would give Genting's owners -- who are Chinese -- about six months to a year to close.
Gambling is already banned in Kelantan and Terengganu.
PAS's Islamic goals have been criticized as extreme not only by Mahathir's government but also by its Chinese-based ally, the DAP, which has threatened to break ties with PAS by quitting a two-year-old opposition alliance.
The DAP wants PAS to spell out clearly its Islamic state policy to avoid losing the votes of Chinese and other minority groups.
A member of the Chinese delegation, Lee Sing Poh, said he was unfazed by PAS's Islamic goal as they could always be voted out again if things became unfavorable for the community.
"The mainstream newspapers all depict PAS as evil but I find they have good virtues and they do not force Islam on us," said Lee, 62 -- KOTA BARU, Malaysia (AFP)
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
