GEORGE TOWN, June 6 — Everyone in the country, especially political leaders, should heed the call of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah not to turn religious issues into polemics or political disputes, says Penang Mufti Datuk Seri Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor.

He said His Majesty’s call reflected on the importance of preserving the sanctity of Islam in addition to maintaining peace and harmony among the country’s multiethnic community.

"As someone who has been involved in fatwas for almost a decade, I’d like to remind all parties not to drag religion into the partisan politics, this is so that the image of Islam is not tarnished by being associated with political views that may be wrong due to human weakness.

"It is true that politics cannot be separated from Islam, but the politics meant here are efforts to implement justice, welfare and prosperity through the government for the benefit of the people,” he said in a statement commenting on the King’s royal address in conjunction with His Majesty’s official birthday celebration yesterday.

In the speech, His Majesty also urged all parties to discard all forms of divisive rhetoric and unite to steer the country toward a better future.

Commenting further, Wan Salim said from another angle, the democratic system of government was not only marked in the form of free elections, but that it must be translated into an effort to respect the rights of all citizens, including minorities.

He said that Islam must be seen as being larger than any political party or organisation established by humans, adding that Islam was a sacred divine mission, while political parties were human creations that were prone to weaknesses and deficiencies.

"Muslims are obliged to adhere to the principles of Islam, but they are required to choose any party to follow. A Muslim who refuses to obey any of the pillars of Islam is a sinner, but not voting for a certain party is not wrong in terms of Islam,” he said. — Bernama