MARANG – PAS President Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang today clarified that he did not say that he had envisioned an all Malay-Muslim Cabinet for Malaysia in his opinion piece in Harakah Daily last week.
Hadi, in clarifying a New Straits Times’ online report on Monday quoting him as saying so, said under the constitution, all races were citizens (of Malaysia) and Pas accepted that everyone has their rights, including in economy and politics.
“Malaysia practices a unique and flexible political system where the prime minister must be a Muslim and the appointment of Cabinet ministers from among non-Muslims are allowed,” he said, adding that this system, however, was not practised in many other countries.
“We (in Malaysia) are unlike the governments of the United States, Britain or the Communist countries.
“When one party wins, for example after the Republican comes to power, the party will remove everyone who is not in their group. Similarly, in communist countries, they will only appoint party members (to the cabinet).”
Hadi said Malaysia practised a multi-party system to represent various races.
“However, the prime minister must be a Muslim, to uphold the constitution and (formulate) policies, with the Cabinet ministers having the executive functions.
“All these are bound by the constitution,” he said.
He said at state-level, meanwhile, such functions were held by Menteri Besars and executive councillors.
“It is a formula that has enabled Muslims and non-Muslims to live in harmony in this country,” he said, adding that he believed that majority of political parties acknowledged the country’s flexible political system.
Harakah Daily had on Dec 22 published Hadi’s article, titled “Mengapa kalau Islam tidak boleh?” in which he penned his thoughts on Islamic politics and governance.
– NST
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