Najib's comment on Islam's position "strange": Calls grow to rap Utusan

In remarks slammed as "strange" by his political opponents, Prime Minister Najib Razak said everyone must accept the fact that Islam is the official religion of the country and that it cannot be changed in whatever form.

"Strange because no one disputed the fact. Only Utusan, which is owned by Umno and must have acted with the sanction of Najib, created the concern that Islam is not the official religion," PKR vice president Tian Chua told Malaysia Chronicle.

"If Utusan didn't get the green light from Najib, we challenge him to punish the newspaper for its irresponsible reporting. In the Pakatan Rakyat common policy framework, it is stated very clearly that we will uphold the existing federal constitution and Islam as the country's official religion. So it is interesting to know who he is referring to, if not himself."

No apology or action against Utusan

Amid growing public exasperation over Najib's weak grip on the nation, the 57-year old first-term premier refused to take responsibility for the Utusan's action.

Additionally, instead of issuing a public apology, Najib warned unnamed quarters not to try and destabilize the nation.

"This is because the reality is that we have the Federal Constitution, and its provision on the position of Islam and the other religions is very clear," Bernama reported Najib as saying after a meeting with 22 Muslim leaders on Wednesday.

"Under whatever circumstances, the Federal Constitution cannot be amended and as such, no one should be worried or feel uneasy on this matter."

He is due to meet specially selected Christian leaders from several bodies on Thursday.

But already, the expectations are that it will be a high-profile luncheon event meant more as a public relations exercise for Najib rather than any serious or sincere attempt to help the Christian community resolve their grouses.

On Saturday, Utusan ran a report entitled Malaysia a Christian country? In that report, which was based on the postings of two Umno bloggers, it accused a group of Christian pastors and opposition party DAP of plotting to topple the King, replace Islam with Christianity as the official religion and install a Christian prime minister.

- Malaysia Chronicle