The next general election is not only going to give a mandate for the new prime minister to move forward, but will also determine the people's stand on the most controversial issue: the Islamic state.

PAS has made its stand clear on Islamic state. We should be very happy it has have done so. I do not support PAS' stand on this issue, though I have voted for the party (in the absence of DAP) in previous general elections as I wanted to protest against the BN for various blunders and the cocky attitude of its leaders who think have a divine right to rule.

BN's stand on the Islamic state is very fishy. Gerakan and MCA have been accusing DAP of collaborating with PAS on the Islamic state issue. However, as soon as former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad declared Malaysia as already being an Islamic country at the Gerakan general assembly two years ago, the two component parties changed their tone.

They (together with MIC) now support the BN version of an Islamic state and oppose the PAS version. As anyone who seriously follows political events in the world will confirm, there is no such a thing as a BN or PAS version of Islamic state.

There is only one version of Islamic state, that is, Islamic state where Quran is supreme, and hudud and Syariah laws rule. Everything else including the Federal Constitution and democracy is secondary. Thank you, PAS for making your stand very clear.

BN is very vague on the Islamic state issue though Umno has been moving the country towards one subtly. It is not strange that Gerakan, MCA and MIC are not honest in informing their members that they are indeed supporting Islamic state indirectly. It is highly hypocritical of them to condemn PAS (and DAP) and secretly support Umno in its attempt to convert the country into an Islamic state ultimately.

It was Umno which classified non-Muslims into kefir harbi and kefir zimmi . MCA, Gerakan and MIC may be pleased that they are being called kefir zimmi , I am sure there are many Malaysians who would not accept such a term referring to them.

They will decide in the coming general election to accept or reject these classifications, in addition to long standing terms of bumiputeras and non-bumiputeras.

DAP has made its stand very clear on Islamic state. It wants the constitution untouched on this issue. It wants the secular nature of the Federal Constitution retained. This is a very principled stand. I am sure DAP will be returned with an increase in number of representations in the Parliament in the coming general election.

DAP is not obsessed with Islamic state issue as mentioned by one reader recently, but it is making its stand clear. It is definitely not against Islam or Muslims. DAP has always stood for Malaysian Malaysia.

Now, what is your stand Keadilan? There have been several letters written by supporters of Keadilan claiming that their party is supported by all races in this country. The Keadilan leadership may look multi-racial, but not many people actual know what the party stands for besides fighting to freeing Anwar Ibrahim.

I, too, want Anwar freed as he was very unfairly treated. That does not means I am a Keadilan supporter or will vote for it (other than to protest in the absence of DAP).

Why should Malaysians vote for Keadilan when the leadership is very vague and uncommitted on the most important current issue, the Islamic state. Make your stand clear or face being sidelined in the election.

DAP should not give in too much to Keadilan's demand for urban seats in the event of an electoral pact being reached. We must remember Keadilan is a new party with unknown political support. The results of the last general election do not count, as the political conditions then was very fluid.

Semangat 46 members returned to Umno after a poor showing in two general elections. How do we know this will not happen to Keadilan, since the majority of members were from Umno. There many be some impressive non-Malay leaders. Whether they actually command the support of the people is yet to be ascertained.