Persatuan Patriot Kebangsaan (Patriot) supports the G25 Malaysia on 2 January 18 that our Constitution should remain as our founding fathers intended it to be.
Any suggestion to amend the Constitution should be for making it more democratic and not more autocratic. Patriot is with G25 in stating that we will not support amendments that will change us from a democracy to an authoritarian regime or to a theocracy.
Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) had reportedly launched a petition rejecting a secular government and seeking to declare Malaysia an Islamic state.
Isma should define what it means by Islamic state. If it means that the system of government is to be run by a council of ulama that supersedes the current democratic parliamentary system, it will be a futile cause as mainstream Malaysians will not support it. Examples are aplenty of Muslim countries with a theocratic system not well governed and not progressive, even to the extent of being failed states. This is despite many of these countries being rich in oil.
Our country recognises Islam as the official religion. In many ways, we have already adopted Islamic principles in our system of governance and administration.
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Patriot also believes that the current democratic constitution in our country gives us a better chance of developing into a united and successful nation than under a constitution based on a theocracy.
Retired Brigadier General Dato Mohamed Arshad Raji is president of Persatuan Patriot Kebangsaan.
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
Let’s support Isma in this. We should not drag our feet on what is inevitable.
Pau Kar Liau what about Sarawak? Islam is not the state religion there. M63 would prevent any move of this kind.
Christine Xavier-gordon it will be soon. Whether BN or PH, the effort to Islamise the Borneo has never stopped. Check out the statistics from days of Merdeka. It is just a matter of time. In any case, I was being sarcastic on my first comment.