While PAS will not shirk from implementing Islamic laws in the states it controls, the Muslim-based party vowed to stand by the opposition Barisan Alternatif's manifesto which made no mention of establishing the controversial Islamic state.

Party acting president Abdul Hadi Awang said today that the implementation of Islamic policies in Kelantan and Terengganu - the two states governed by PAS - was in keeping with the party's promises in the last election.

However, he said PAS would fight on the BA platform together with its opposition allies, Keadilan and PRM, in the other states.

"It is fortunate and expedient that the federal system of government provides for this dichotomy," Abdul Hadi, who is also parliamentary opposition leader, said in a statement.

He stressed that at the federal level, PAS would always abide by the shared BA vision in reinstating democracy, accountability, transparency, and stamping out injustices, corruption and crony capitalism.

Raison d'etre

Abdul Hadi also reiterated that Islam is PAS' raison d'etre.

"It has always been our commitment, as enshrined in our constitution, to struggle for a moral and virtuous society within the ambit of democracy.

"It is our conviction and commitment that Islam offers justice and equality to all, irrespective of race, belief and culture. It is also our conviction that Islam, as much as possible, be the basis of governance and government in the two states that we are administering."

However, he said that the party has taken full cognisant of the sensitivity of the country's non-Muslims regarding the implementation of Islamic laws.

"We would like to categorically announce hereby again, that the Islamic law is only subjected to the Muslim section of society. It is not to be imposed on the non-Muslims section of the rakyat. "

Abdul Hadi brushed aside the opposition to the party's Islamic state policies from its BA partner PRM.

On Sunday, PRM president Syed Husin Ali warned that if PAS was set on "bulldozing" its Islamic policies without consultation with its opposition partners, then his party would review its relationship in BA.

'Political meal'

At the PRM's 36th national congress held in Kuala Lumpur, the party was quick to distance itself from PAS' yet-to-be-made-public Islamic state blueprint .

PRM will soon be merging with its BA partner Keadilan, which has so far been silent on its stand relating to PAS' Islamic state.

Abdul Hadi said while BA should encourage healthy dissent within the opposition front, such debate should be handled with "tack and care" so that this would not be made a "political meal" by rival Barisan Nasional.

"While PAS is ever so aware of the anxiety and concern of our partners in the BA, we must register our conviction that we are still within the bounds of democracy and federalism as practised in our country," he added.