Zahid urges all to respect efforts in upholding Islamic laws

PUTRAJAYA: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi urges all parties to respect efforts in upholding Islamic laws and teachings in the country.
Zahid also urges Non-Muslims not to interfere with Islamic affairs and leave the matter of practising Islam only to the Muslims.
"It is irrelevant to ask the non-Muslims whether our wuduk (ablution) or solat (prayers) are performed correctly, it is up to us to decide.
"I am worried as nowadays there are people who are concerned that there is a dualism in this struggle ... but please leave it to the Islamic community to mould the foundation of Islam themselves," Zahid said during his closing remarks at the Islamic Law Council (MPI) Conference on Law and Politics held at Everly Hotel here.
Zahid, who is also the Home Minister said the Muslim community in the country will not neglect the importance of other religions but urged all parties including the Muslims to respect each others believes and practices.
He also urged non-Muslims to value the concept of "Lakum dinukum waliya din", where it is an Islamic monotheism that refers "to you be your religion, and to me my religion.
"We don't want to cast aside those who do not practice the same religion as we do, but we ask them to learn to respect us, appreciate the word Lakum dinukum waliya din, and we will respect them in return," he said.
Earlier, Zahid had said that the government would propose the formation of a Parliamentary Select Committee involving both Muslim and non-Muslim MPs to look into the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act which was tabled in parliament by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.
Hadi first tabled the motion to increase punitive powers for the Syariah Court in Parliament on May 26, and then moved it again on Nov 26 with caps on punishments.
The bill, which was supposed to be read at the last Parliament sitting was postponed to the upcoming sitting.