The former Umno minister reminded Anwar of the many clashes between both ideals in the everyday lives of Malaysians and declared that these examples prove there is “no compatibility between Islam and democracy in Malaysia”. “Can a Muslim exercise basic freedom and liberty in Malaysia? No. Can a non-Muslim even use the word “Allah”? No,” he said in a blog posting here, listing out several examples to back his point. “Can we have cultural dances and performances to express our traditions? Not if it’s mak yong or menora. Can we partake in art where human bodies are rendered like Michelangelo’s David in Florence? No,” he continued. “Muftis can legislate by issuing fatwas which have the force of law. Is this representative government? No. Can women and men attend the same hair salon? Not in some states. “Can a Muslim buy a lottery ticket? No. Can a Muslim read books that have not been approved by the state governments? No. Can reason prevail over religious bureaucracy? No,”  Zaid said. “Brother Anwar,” he wrote in a direct message to the Opposition Leader. “The rakyat wants to know how these daily life scenarios in Malaysia are compatible with democracy.” Democracy is not just about winning an election, the ex-Umno-turned-PKR politician said. It is also about freedom and personal liberty, the recognition of basic human rights and about protecting the rights of minorities, he said. “We don’t have this basic freedom in Malaysia, not even in the Pakatan Rakyat-controlled states,” Zaid insisted. “So how does Anwar’s Islamic model in Malaysia actually work?”. Zaid said it would be considered both superficial and short-sighted if Anwar believes that brandishing both Islamic and democratic ideals would draw PAS and DAP supporters and help him win the polls. He pointed to the endless clashes between the progressive and conservative factions in Muslim-centric parties like PAS and Umno across the political divide and said this was proof that such a formula would not work. The Islamists in any political party would not tolerate modern-day ideals of freedom of expression and personal liberty, Zaid insisted, and would always opt for an “Islamic model” of their choice above these liberal ideals. “Meanwhile, the cause of democratic struggle will suffer and remain unattended. Those who value freedom and liberty will be attacked not only by Datuk Ibrahim Ali and Utusan Malaysia but also by the groups in the Opposition,” he said. As such, Zaid told Anwar that instead of trying to “reconcile the irreconcilable”, the latter should fight of authoritarianism first, focusing on democratic issues that are easy to understand. He said Malaysia has many such authoritarian groups, including groups that disguise themselves as religious movements concerned about protecting Islam and Muslims, or those that gang up under the guise of a traditional or feudal arrangement but claiming to represent the will and needs of the majority. Despite acknowledging that Anwar would not likely adhere to his suggestion, Zaid reminded the PR de facto leader again of the lack of compatibility between his struggle to implement Islamic ideals here and his push for democracy. “There is no compatibility between the Islamic movement of today and democracy—it’s that simple. “The choice is clear; its either freedom or tyranny. Its either democracy or authoritarian rule,” he said.