The role of non-Muslims in the government will only be confined to those not related to policy making in an Islamic state, Terengganu Menteri Besar Abdul Hadi Awang said in Penang today.

He said this was due to the fact that ministers involved in policy making must adopt the ideology of the ruling government.

"Just like in the United States, when the Republican wins, the US president is a Republican," he told the 100-odd participants who attended a lunch date with the menteri besar in Hotel Grand Continental.

"Likewise, in an Islamic state, the leaders must be those who are Muslims. This is common throughout the world," he added.

Abdul Hadi, known as a firebrand, is acting PAS president since the death of former president, Fadzil Noor, who is noted as a more moderate leader.

The Marang state assembly representative is currently making his rounds, meeting people, especially Chinese opposition leaders and non-governmental organisations, to explain his hardline policies.

Field questions with ease

In an attempt to subdue his radical image, he dorned a grey coat over a white robe and stood at the rostrum, fielding questions from the floor with ease.

There were light moments as he cracked several jokes such as "there is a saying, if you want to find the best sup tangan (hand soup), you should go to Terengganu" when replying questions about the hudud and qisas law.

Terenganu, under his leadership, has passed the Hudud Bill, despite protest from several groups, who criticised the law as unjust and discriminatory to women.

The law is currently awaiting the approval of the federal government.

Analysts say PAS is using the Islamic law as a way to try to win the support of the country's Muslims ahead of general elections due in 2004.

But party leaders are saying that they are challenging Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's sincerity when he declared that Malaysia was already an Islamic state in September last year.

Economic right

Meanwhile, Abdul Hadi gave assurances that non-Muslims will not be deprived of their political, economical and social rights and will enjoy the right to express their views in an Islamic state.

He said non-Muslims will be allowed to trade goods which are prohibited in Islam because they have the economic right to trade between themselves.

Abdul Hadi said that in Terengganu, non-Muslims have been elected into the Municipal Council and the state government as executive councillors to oversee the relations between the different races in the state.

He revealed that an amendment to the constitution has been proposed to allow the state government to elect non-Muslims as state assembly representatives in the absence of non-Muslims.

He reiterated that there would be no compulsion in Islam, stressing that those who governed the country today but do not practise Islam should not be used as an example to explain the concept of an Islamic state.

Meanwhile, Abdul Hadi said that as of now, hudud law will not be applied to non-Muslims but added that they could choose which law they wish to be tried

"But I am confident, non-Muslims will choose to be tried under Islamic laws one day," the menteri besar said.