Umno and MCA have not taken kindly to DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang's statement that his party accepted Islamisation within the framework of the Federal Constitution.

For MCA religious harmony bureau chief Ti Lian Ker, Lim's statement was only a case of the DAP veteran trying to justify the party's "political sins" for once allying with PAS, thereby empowering the Islamist party.

"Although Lim admitted that DAP had empowered PAS, he refused to apologise for his political sins and to those who were misled by him.

"Instead, he attempted to whitewash his sins by saying that DAP believed in the more open, tolerant and inclusive policies of PAS leaders like Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, Fadzil Noor and Yusof Rawa.

"Lim is trying to pull the wool over the eyes of DAP sympathisers by trying to place the blame on one person PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, whom he had warmly embraced," he said in a statement today.

Ti said PAS had grown into a "monster" and Lim now feared to take responsibility.

However, for Federal Territories Umno Youth chief Mohd Razlan Muhammad Rafii, DAP was still very much "anti-Islam" and Lim's apparent acceptance of Islamisation is mere election rhetoric.

For example, Razlan said Lim was opposed to proposed amendments to Act 355 that would see the maximum syariah punishment increased from up to three years imprisonment, RM5,000 fine and six strokes of the rotan to 10 years imprisonment, RM100,000 fine and 100 strokes of the rotan.

"They know this is good for Muslims but it is their habit to strike fear amongst the people about this Act due to the strong anti-Islam mentality amongst opposition leaders," he said in a statement.

Razlan also accused the DAP of questioning the zakat system and Islamic education in schools.

Lim in a statement earlier today had quoted comments by former Asean secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan who remarked that Islamisation was viewed as something positive in the 1980s.

Surin said during that time, Islamisation meant people integrated Islamic values in norms into every aspect of their life including in education, work, and economic development.

However, he lamented that Islamisation had taken on a meaning that was less tolerant and restricted, stating that it had become identical to communal politics, which is not a fundamental message of Islam.

Lim likened this change to the politics of former PAS leaders like Nik Aziz, Fadzil Noor and Yusof Rawa in contrast to Abdul Hadi's current leadership of PAS.

"DAP supports Islamisation based on the Malaysian Constitution institution which promotes a nation-building process based on tolerance and mutual respect in a plural society and not one which engenders bigotry, hatred and extremism," he said.

However, Razlan alluded that any such "bigotry hatred and extremism" were a reaction to DAP's attitude.

"What he stated would not happen if everyone practised mutual respect and understand the diversity of religions and cultures.

"However, DAP failed to control the ego and arrogance of its leaders, causing some Muslims to act beyond the limits in voicing their objection to the insolent language and actions of DAP leaders," he added.