Former PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa insists that Lembah Pantai MP Nurul Izzah Anwar’s statement that there was “no compulsion in religion” was tantamount to giving religious freedom to Malay Muslims as the verse which she quoted can only be applied to non-Muslims.

“When Allah has decided in matter of faith, syariah and morals, we (Muslims) do not have a right to choose.

NONE “Our right is only to listen and obey as it is clearly stated in the Quran,” he told the Sunday edition Umno-owned Utusan Malaysia in an interview published today.

As such, Nasharudin ( left ) said Nurul Izzah must justify her argument if she is now denying that it was tantamount to giving religious freedom to Malay Muslims.

Otherwise, he said, the PKR vice-president must retract her statement.

Responding to fellow PAS leaders who had defended Nurul Izzah, Nasharudin said they had no Islamic studies background.

Instead, Nasharudin urged the party’s top leadership to take Nurul Izzah to task as party members were uncomfortable with her remarks.

“They have been waiting for the leadership to make a statement but to date none has been made,” he said.

NONE PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat had declined to comment on the matter, citing that Utusan Malaysia was not a credible publication.

Malaysiakini on Oct 3 reported  Nurul Izzah’s statement in an article ‘Nurul: There should be no compulsion in choosing faith’.

Utusan Malaysia subsequently ran a story on Oct 5 called ‘Malays free to choose religion?’ to criticise the Lembah Pantai MPs statements, a report that the latter has complained " twisted " her statements.

Transcript of Nurul Izzah's Q&A at forum