There has been much discussion about the two Islamic visions of Dr Mahathir Mohamad and PAS fundamentalists.

I support Dr Mahathir's Islamic vision more than the latter's as it is more progressive and rational.

In fact, I would call for a power ban on all extremist parties like DAP, PAS and Keadilan. Being in parliament is the best they can ever be.

However, I would beg to differ with Dr Mahathir that Malaysia is an Islamic state.

Malaysia is a secular state with a Muslim majority.

What makes an Islamic state are laws and a culture that reflect what Islam wants.

Islam wants Muslims to follow Muslim culture (Quran, Hadis, and the four Sunni scholars), progressively interpreted, and wants non-Muslims to have freedom to follow their own ways, so long as they do not challenge Islam's culture.

Dr Mahathir is right when he wants Muslims to master worldly knowledge as opposed to the mere culture of their community, and to be moderate and peaceful.

But he is wrong when he calls on Muslims to:

(1) Compete with the West in material growth (even in weapons);

(2) Allow Muslim women to wear mini skirts (dress any way they want, even in demeaningly revealing styles), and men to have long hair;

(3) Make peace with Israel (explicitly anti-Islam state);

(4) Remember that Islam is the same as other religions (it is really the Mother of religions, of knowledge and of civilisations);

(5) Adopt the ISA which nabs people without trial.

Dr Mahathir's liberal views do not make him an Islam-conscious person. Not a progressive Islamist but a progressive Muslim.

His views are secularised Islam not unlike Hosni Mubarak of Egypt. By secularised, I mean not following the guidelines of Islam, and following the Western view that Islam is the baby, not the mother, of religions.

Secularism is good, but Islam is always better, if interpreted progressively.

These are some of the guidelines of Islam, with regard to daily experiences of governance:

Muslims must only in the most sparing circumstances dress in sexy clothes. Women must be Azalina-style (long skirts and long sleeves) and not Erra Fazira-style (tight, revealing clothes and mini skirts).

Men must not have long hair or wear jewellery. They must also not drink alcohol or keep dogs.

Being pro-Israel is a sin, likewise with being pro-Salman Rushdie.

One should not pre-judge others as guilty without a trial. That includes not detaining others without a trial.

There should be professional police and Religious Department enforcement at all times, and cooperation between the two bodies (to his credit, Dr Mahathir has ensured that the department will act more professionally in future).

There should be full democratic decision making, involving not just parties but also women's, workers', minorities' representatives in parliament. This can curb Muslim extremism. There should also be power bans on extremist parties.

Development should be geared towards humanist socialism. It should de-emphasise mega projects which compromise on future consumption and the environment.

While women should have equal rights as men, they should not be allowed the head of state (Governor and Prime Minister) position. Not even head of the judiciary or police or army. These are the reserves of men, since men are the presidents of humanity and women are their deputy presidents, under Islam's thinking.

While the freedom of religion is respected, no Muslim should be allowed to leave Islam without jail and a fine. Islam is to be treated as the Mother of all religions and has to be seen as the first religion revealed to humankind.

Maldives is a good example of an Islamic state, despite its flaws and President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's faults. It follows the middle path between Dr Mahathir's liberalism and PAS' extremist fundamentalism.

The thinking of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's grandfather Abdullah Fahim and his father Ahmad Badawi is very close to such moderate Islam. So was the thinking of PAS' moderate founder Burhanuddin Helmy and Pakistan's conceptualiser Muhammad Iqbal.

There is not, as some writers suggest, a choice between Dr Mahathir and PAS. Abdullah and his like-minded Muslims, who are relatively silent for the moment, is the answer.

They are not talking because they do not have much power now. But if one is to follow their worldview, Muslims should be Siti Nurhaliza and S M Salim.

In the battle between the Muslim fanatics and Dr Mahathir's Umno, we should support the latter.

But we should see Pak Lah as the leader of the fight, because his middle path thinking is more suited to crush fanaticism than Dr Mahathir's liberalism.

There is a joke in Pakistan that every time there is Marilyn Monroe, there comes the Mad Mullah. They are like the dragon and phoenix, ever in battle, and ever emboldening each other.

This is the same with liberalism and fundamentalism. Liberalism's use of the unjust ISA only serves to make the fundamentalist menace grow.

Fighting the fundamentalists with the middle path of progressive conservatism, or conservative modernity, or austere, sober lifestyles, is what we all need.