Malaysians should not “get carried away” with Western ideals including religious freedom, warned former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad today.

NONE He dismissed Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar’s ( right ) view that there should be no compulsion in religion, saying that the pursuit of Western freedoms could lead to various calamities.

“We are Muslims. We don’t change our religion. For other people, perhaps their beliefs permit them but let’s not get carried away by Western thinking about freedom.

“There is too much freedom. Freedom this, freedom that, to the point where you make films that makes a mockery of other people’s religion and we fight amongst ourselves.

“So don’t get carried away by Western ideas... marrying men with men and women with women... the family is destroyed.

“Today I read in the paper that there are priest and rabbis who said that Hurricane Sandy struck New York because they allow same-sex marriage,” he said.

The former premier was asked during a press conference to comment on Nurul’s remarks made when she was asked whether a Malay Malaysian should be granted religious freedom like the non-Malays.

She replied in the affirmative, with the caveat, “I am, of course, tied to the prevailing views”.

"Malay" is defined under Section 160(2) of the federal constitution as a person who professes Islam, habitually speaks the Malay language and conforms to Malay customs.

Following this, she was accused of encouraging aposthesy ( murtad ), which she denied .

“I stand by the general stance that after embracing Islam, a Muslim is subjected to syariah, just as a citizen is subjected to the federal constitution.

“I regret there are people trying to twist my statement as if I disparage the issue of faith or accept Muslims who choose to apostate,” said the PKR vice-president.

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