DAP life adviser Dr Chen Man Hin's recent remark that Malaysia is a moderate Islamic nation was a personal view and not the stand of the party, said DAP national deputy chairperson Karpal Singh today.

While acknowledging that Chen had the right to his personal views, Karpal said DAP through its leaders has maintained that Malaysia is not an Islamic state.

"Dr Chen is under a complete misconception in conceding that Malaysia is a moderate Islamic country. His views cannot commit DAP to a stand he has publicly decided to take," he said in a statement.

Karpal added that a mere declaration by Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad last month will not turn Malaysia into an Islamic state.

"Malaysia is a secular state in the context of Islam as the religion of the country. Even PAS has accepted that the country is not an Islamic state," he said.

Karpal was responding to a New Straits Times report today which quoted Chen as saying that DAP agreed with Mahathir that Malaysia was a moderate Islamic country.

Chen reportedly said he could not understand why PAS was adamant about having an Islamic state of its own concept.

"To DAP, PAS has not awakened from its sleep and despite [being a] so-called Islamic party, it is still ignorant of many issues concerning Islam," he said.

'Shocking' remark

Meanwhile, Keadilan Youth assistant secretary Diong Chi Tzuoh said the party's wing was "shocked' by Chen's remark.

"How could Malaysia be described as moderate when it ignores the interest of the citizens and practises corruption and detention without trial?" questioned Diong in a statement today.

However, Chen who is currently overseas could not be reached for comment.

Last month, Mahathir who is also Umno president, announced that Malaysia, together with some 50 other member countries of the Organisation of Islamic Conference, was already an Islamic country.

The declaration came under fire from opposition parties, most notably DAP and PAS which were once allies in the Barisan Alternatif.

DAP pulled out of the coalition late last month, citing irreconcilable differences with PAS over the setting up of an Islamic state.

The Chinese-based DAP has repeatedly stressed that Malaysia was and should remain a secular state, as entrenched in the Federal Constitution.

PAS, which on the other hand advocates for a governance based on Islamic laws and teachings, criticised Mahathir's version of Islamic state for not fulfilling the religious criteria.

The party also challenged the premier to debate the issue in Parliament.

PAS' memorandum

Early this week, PAS president Fadzil Noor said the party would draft a memorandum spelling out the concept of an Islamic state and submit it to the premier soon.

And Karpal said today that DAP would continue to assert and pressure the Barisan Nasional to accept the provision under Article 3 in the Federal Constitution.

Article 3 states that Islam is the official religion of Malaysia but other religions may be practised in peace and harmony in any part of the country.

Karpal noted that in a judgment by a five-member Supreme Court panel (now Federal Court) in the late 1980s, 'Islam' in Article 3 was interpreted to be matters relating only to rituals and ceremonies.

Former Lord President Salleh Abas who was chairing the panel then, told malaysiakini recently that Malaysia was not an Islamic state as the syariah or Islamic laws were subjected to the Federal Constitution, the highest law in the country.

Syariah applies to Muslims on several matters including family inheritance and sexual misconduct such as incest and promiscuity.