Deputy Information Minister Mohd Khalid Yunus today announced that the government has decided to withdraw the controversial booklet Malaysia adalah sebuah negara Islam (Malaysia is an Islamic state), which was published by the ministry.

Khalid said that the government retracted the booklet because it has "caused harm" when member of parliament Kerk Kim Hock (DAP-Kota Melaka) asked in Dewan Rakyat for the reason behind the government's decision.

Kerk had earlier urged the government to withdraw the booklet which described non-Muslims as Zimmi (non-Muslims who live in an Islamic state).

"(Transport minister) Ling Liong Sik can accept that he is a Zimmi , but not me," the MP said.

Khalid made the announcement today during the committee-level debate on the Information Ministry budget.

Implementing Islamic policies

The controversial booklet, written by Wan Zahidi Wan Teh and published by the Information Ministry, was highlighted by the opposition DAP and caused a controversy among non-Muslims.

The book explained that the government's Islamisation policy is actually a wide and open concept which included all Islamic values and laws which must be implemented by the government.

It stated that the policy would be continuously implemented until the objective to establish an Islamic state in the country is fully achieved.

The booklet also noted that in an Islamic state, citizens are obliged to pledge their obedience to the government as long as there is no order from the authorities to do evil.

According to the deputy minister, the book was published several months before the Sept 11 terror attacks on New York and Washington, and the publication did not go through the cabinet.

The booklet, which carries the national emblem, ironically depicted a photo of an aeroplane on its cover.