PBS: No plans to turn Malaysia into an Islamic country

PETALING JAYA: Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) has rubbished claims that Barisan Nasional had an agenda to turn Malaysia into an Islamic country.

The party's secretary-general Datuk Johnny Mositun (pic) said that Barisan had no plans to do so.

He was responding to a statement by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki on Oct 13 that Barisan would not shirk in its responsibility to turn Malaysia into an Islamic state.

"I don't know why Asyraf said that. PBS is a Barisan component party and I sit on the Barisan supreme council too.

"At no time has Barisan ever discussed or adopted a policy or agenda to make Malaysia an Islamic country," said Mositun in a statement on Thursday (Oct 19).

He said that the Government was firmly committed to upholding the founding principles of Malaysia and that Dr Asyraf's statement would only make things more difficult for it to maintain national unity and social harmony.

"Asyraf can speak for himself but not for Barisan," he added.

Mositun said he would consult with the PBS supreme council to consider referring Dr Asyraf to the Barisan supreme council to explain why he "presumed to speak for Barisan on a matter that the Barisan itself never discussed or made a decision".