Last month, Isma launched a campaign for Malaysia to be recognised as an Islamic state, citing among others the position of Islam in the Federal Constitution and influence of the religion here. ― Picture by Shafwan Zaidon

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 ― The National Patriots Association (Patriot) has lambasted Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) today for the Islamist group’s move to declare Malaysia an Islamic state, saying it rejects any attempts to turn the country into a theocracy.

The veterans group said Malaysia has a better opportunity for unity and success based on the current democratic Federation Constitution, rather than one based on religion.

“Our country recognises Islam as the official religion. In many ways we have already adopted Islamic principles in our system of governance and administration,” its president Brig-Gen (Rtd) Datuk Mohamed Arshad Raji said in a statement.

“Patriot is also of the view that under the current democratic constitution our country has better chance to develop into a united and successful nation than under a constitution based on theocracy.”

The group said there are many examples of theocratic Muslim-majority countries that are not not well-governed and less progressive, even to the extent of being failed states, despite their wealth in natural resources.

Patriot also backed a statement by a group of former senior government officials, G25, yesterday calling for the Constitution to remain as the country’s 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,” it said.

Last month, Isma launched a campaign for Malaysia to be recognised as an Islamic state, citing among others the position of Islam in the Federal Constitution and influence of the religion here.

The five-month campaign called “Malaysia Negara Islam” (Malay for “Malaysia an Islamic State”) aims to gather one million signatures to support its claim, which will then be presented to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong.

The campaign aims to reject the notion of Malaysia as a secular country, and to stress that Malaysia is “Tanah Melayu”, or “land of the Malays” with the Malays its native citizens.

“Islamic state” is a modern Muslim political concept that can be defined as a government that bases itself on the Shariah code, with Islamic scriptures as the ideological foundation of the state and its constitution.

Modern Islamic states include Saudi Arabia, Iran and Afghanistan.