There is no issue of Islam and Malay interests being undermined just because new attorney-general Tommy Thomas is not a Muslim, Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail assured.
"We have the Federal Constitution which is clear, and whoever is the attorney-general must uphold the constitution.
"Islam is the official religion, with freedom for other religions. The (position of the) royal institution, Bahasa Melayu, that is accepted by all Malaysians," Wan Azizah told Malaysiakini in an interview today.
She added that all top leaders from the previous Pakatan Rakyat coalition, including PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, and DAP's Lim Kit Siang and Lim Guan Eng, had all signed off on recognising these institutions.
The Yang di-Pertuan Agong consented to Thomas' appointment as attorney-general late last night.
Previously some quarters had raised concerns that Thomas being a non-Muslim, would not be able to advise the government on syariah matters.
Speaking at her office in the Women and Family Development Ministry headquarters in Putrajaya, Wan Azizah said there will be ways to deal with syariah issues, and that it was not a crisis.
She hoped the issue of Thomas' appointment should not be a polemic as there is much to that needs to be done.
"We are Malaysians, we are of different races and religion, we live harmoniously," she said.
As for whether Thomas would be made a senator, Wan Azizah said that would be up to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad.
Pakatan Harapan in its manifesto said the attorney-general would be a member of Parliament. Parliament includes the Senate. -Mkini
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