Was the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) behind the bombings in Bali and Jakarta, which left hundreds dead and scores injured? Were they deliberately carried out to paint Islam in a negative light?

These were the posers put forward by PAS Youth chief Salahuddin Ayub at the Dewan Rakyat today when urging the government to play a more active role in dispelling the global perception that Islam is equated with terrorism.

The Kubang Kerian parliamentarian also suggested the possibility that the Indonesian cleric Riduan Issamuddin or Hambali, accused of masterminding the attacks, could have been on the CIA payroll.

He claimed that the ageing cleric, who is said to spearhead regional terror network Jemaah Islamiah, could have been ordered to execute the bombings 'to portray Islam as the new enemy'.

"The bombs that were used were too costly and not affordable for them. These kind of sophisticated bombs could only be bought by the US," he added.

According to Salahuddin, the bombs which ripped through two nightclubs in Bali and the JW Marriot hotel in Jakarta two years ago, had cemented the wrong perception towards Muslims in Southeast Asia.

'More satanic than Satan'

He also called on Malaysia, as the chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), to compel the United States to provide concrete evidence when making terrorism-related allegations.

"The government should make more efforts to redefine the notion that Muslims are terrorists," he said when debating the 2005 budget allocation to the foreign ministry.

He added that the reasons behind the US invasion of Nicaragua, Haiti, Afghanistan and Iraq in the past were not corroborated by evidence.

Echoing his views, Ismail Noh (PAS-Pasir Mas) told the House that those who carried out terrorist activities in the name of Islam were not practicing Islamic values.

At this juncture, the PAS leaders found support from the opposite side of the fence when backbencher Mohamed Aziz (BN-Sri Gading) joined in and criticised the US for heaping terrorism accusations on Muslims.

The US today is more 'satanic than Satan,' he thundered.

"The US kills people everyday, but why is there no voice to criticise them despite (their actions) being so cruel," he added.

Pressure Burmese leaders

Meanwhile, Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh) urged the government to take a stronger stand against Burma's military regime and call on it to reconcile and hold dialogues with the National League for Democracy, led by Aung Sun Suu Kyi.

She said if the military regime failed to respond to this call, the Malaysian government should remove Burma from Asean.

Malaysia was instrumental in bringing Burma into Asean in 1997, under what it called 'constructive engagement', despite many countries objecting to the move.

Winding up the debates later, Foreign Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Zainal Abidin Osman said Malaysia will continue to uphold its non-interference policy despite the pressure.

"However, we will also continue to uphold the constructive engagement and we believe that the reconciliation process should be participated by everyone," he told the House.

On the terrorism issue, he said there is no universal definition on terrorism so far.

"We do believe that if we have an international classification on terrorism, it will help us combat terrorism more comprehensively and effectively," he said, without responding to the call for the government to play a more active role.

At one point during the winding-up, backbencher Raja Ahmad Zainudin Raja Omar (BN-Larut) was reprimanded by deputy speaker Lim Si Cheng twice for eating while speaking.

The backbencher, while chewing, asked Zainal for a clarification on the welfare issues of Malaysian embassy officials abroad.

"Finish your food first, how can you eat while speaking?" responded the deputy speaker.