PUTRAJAYA, July 6 — He has been labelled as a "liberal” in the past by his critics, and Datuk Mujahid Yusof Rawa knows only too well how such a tag affects one’s support base among some Malay voters.

As an MP for Islamist party PAS and later its splinter Parti Amanah Negara, Mujahid has used his position before GE14 to push for inter-faith dialogue between Malaysia’s different religious communities in an effort to seek common ground and to counter the rise of extremism.

His is a familiar face in churches, temples and houses of worship for non-Muslims. And now that he is a minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of religion, Mujahid intends to use a similar approach, serving as a bridge between different faiths in the country.

"I open the door for all to come in, Muslim or non-Muslim, whoever you are.

"In my position as minister, one of the things in my wishlist is to make sure this department is inclusive of all races and religions, and not just exclusive to Muslims,” Mujahid told Malay Mail in an exclusive interview yesterday.

The Parit Buntar MP believes his experience as a "peacemaker” between different faiths will come in handy as minister, and plans to reach out to religious leaders to discuss ways in which his ministry can help in carrying out specific reforms.

He also plans on changing the negative perception some Malaysians have for departments like the federal agency Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim), and its role within the government.

Mujahid said Jakim’s function is not as an enforcement agency or administrator of Islamic affairs, but more on training and educating people who wish to learn about the faith.

"I may not agree on the point where Jakim has been perceived as persecuting some people. It is a matter of perception, and how Jakim deals with the problem.

"It could be done through dialogue, reaching out and engagement,” he explained.

Mujahid has already received brickbats from his old party, with party deputy president Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man accusing him of allegedly being unqualified for the portfolio.

Earlier this week, Tuan Ibrahim told Malay daily Utusan Malaysia that the "religious minister” has no religious academic background, but stopped short of mentioning Mujahid’s name.

Mujahid holds a doctorate in political science, specialising in Shariah administration, from the University of Malaya.

The Amanah leader said he expects to be criticised in the days and months ahead, telling detractors that they are free to accord him any "label” they want.

"The idea that I have for Islam, it is not in essence a connotation but a real spirit of Islam translated to a committed reform agenda,” he said.

Mujahid was sworn in together with 12 other ministers and 23 deputy ministers before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Muhammad V, at the Istana Negara on Monday.