In the first part of an interview with the leading Chinese-language daily Sin Chew Jit Poh on July 5, acting PAS president and Terengganu Mentri Besar Abdul Hadi Awang reiterated PAS' opposition to racial discrimination and Malay nationalism as articulated by its nemesis, Umno.

Hadi said: "Racial sentiment in our politics is still strong. To consolidate its position, Umno has been advocating Malay nationalism, creating a siege mentality among Malays that, without it, they would disappear from the world. At the same time, Umno has been demonising PAS. This is detrimental to national unity.

"It is the will of God that different ethnic communities exist on earth, and it is not wrong if one loves one's own community and family. However, Islam does not condone racial discrimination, and it also rejects racialism as an ideology in ruling a country."

It is on this premise, said Hadi, that PAS has strongly opposed the implementation of policies based on racial quotas. Its stand has been that poverty and deprivation transcend racial lines.

"According to the principle of democracy and human rights, all human beings who are in need, whether Chinese, Malays or Indians, deserve to be assisted. It is wrong to implement the system of racial quotas," he said.

"Malays used to think that all Chinese are wealthy, but when I embarked on a poverty eradication programme a few years ago, I found that there were also some Chinese living in abject poverty. So, I granted land to them."

On hudud law

Hadi, 54, is a master's degree holder in Islamic jurisprudence from Al-Azhar University in Egypt. He was appointed acting president of PAS after the death of president and opposition leader Mohd Fadzil Noor on June 23. He has been a member of Parliament for three terms and Terengganu Mentri Besar since 1999.

He reiterated that the proposed hudud (Islamic criminal) law would not be applied to non-Muslims in Terengganu.

"The proposed law has nothing to do with non-Muslims. PAS hopes non-Muslims will understand this and do not object to it.

"Like British jurisprudence, Islamic criminal law pre-supposes that one is innocent until proven guilty in an open trial. The accused is entitled to engage a lawyer for defence."

According to Hadi, the crime rate in Terengganu dropped by 51.7% between January and May, under his administration.

"Equal treatment"

He also cited Chinese history to suggest that there is no inherent animosity between the Chinese and Muslims, saying there have been many great Chinese who are Muslims.

"During the Ming Dynasty, Admiral Zheng He, a Muslim, was appointed to a high position in the court and was trusted by the Chinese emperor. In Chinese history, there have also been instances where Muslim-dominated areas were allowed to implement Islamic criminal law for their own use."

Non-Muslims make up about 5% of the population of Terengganu, while the remaining 95% are Muslims. Hadi said that, under PAS'administration, Islamic religious schools and Chinese schools are treated equally.

On whether the retirement of Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohammad would bring about changes to Umno, Hadi said that, for a long time, Umno has been conditioned to the existing modus operadi or model.

However, he expressed hope that Umno would change toward a more democratic direction by ceasing to abuse the Internal Security Act (ISA) .

Criticism accepted

In the second part of the interview, published on July 6, Hadi said that in PAS, religious scholars (ulama) always interact with professionals because their work is not mutually exclusive.

"We have inherited the open spirit of previous leaders. We lead the party with an open attitude. PAS members always dare to criticise leaders during party conferences. In Umno, grassroots members only praise and flatter leaders."

On the question of English being made the medium of instruction for science and mathematics in primary schools, Hadi said it was important for pupils to learn English, but that Bahasa Melayu should not be neglected.

"Both Japan and China have been absorbing foreign technologies, but the Japanese and Chinese have never neglected their own languages. During the opening ceremony of the FIFAWorld Cup (on May 31), the Japanese and Korean prime ministers spoke in their own languages. It is a matter of attitude."