Bitter debate in Malaysia questioning whether the mainly Muslim nation is an Islamic state has exposed religious and racial faultlines ahead of a widely expected early general election.
As Malaysia prepares to celebrate its 50th year of independence with a nationwide party next month, comments by Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak asserting the country has never been a secular state have upset many non-Muslims.
"Islam is the official religion and we are an Islamic state," state news agency Bernama quoted Najib as saying last week.
"We have never been secular because being secular by Western definition means separation of the Islamic principles in the way we govern a country."
Race and religion are touchy issues in multi-racial Malaysia, where ethnic Malay Muslims form about 60 percent of a population of roughly 26 million, while Hindus, Buddhists and Christians dominate the ethnic Indian and Chinese minorities.
Since ethnic Malays are Muslim by definition, politicians' comments about Islam usually aim to appeal to the largest chunk of potential voters, analysts say.
Najib's remarks drew such stinging ripostes from lawyers, opposition parties and religious leaders, who accused the government of ignoring Malaysia's history and constitution, that authorities finally ordered mainstream media to drop the subject.
Malaysia's constitution does not explicitly say it is a secular state, although it says Islam is the official religion.
"You can't settle it because politically it's going to be difficult," political scientist Chandra Muzaffar told Reuters.
"There is no way the government can come out and say it is a secular state, because Muslims in this country and many other parts of the world feel the term 'secular state' means that religion has no place in public life."
