KUALA LUMPUR - PRIME Minister Abdullah Badawi admitted yesterday that religion continues to be a sensitive issue in the multicultural nation, but said he hoped that conflicts could continue to be resolved peacefully.
'Malaysia is fortunate, as the people of various races and religions in the country can live in peace and harmony all this while,' he said.
'The Constitution guarantees the freedom to practise any faith although Islam remains as the official religion,' Datuk Seri Abdullah said, in a statement ahead of the Buddhist Vesak Day celebrations today.
To underline his message of tolerance, Datuk Seri Abdullah on Saturday visited a 113-year-old Buddhist temple, Maha Vihara, in Kuala Lumpur.
In his statement yesterday, the Prime Minister said: 'Realising the fact that religious issues are still a sensitive topic, the government has engaged... with various religious groups in the country to better understand their needs while strengthening ties.'
He added: 'I really hope, through this, we can resolve conflicts or problems peacefully and amicably.'
Separately, Malaysia's de facto Islamic Affairs Minister, Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, said Muslim teachers should leave their political leanings outside the school gates so as not to confuse students.
He was hinting at problems faced in some kindergartens and schools, where teachers aligned to the opposition Parti Islam SeMalaysia (PAS) are said to have brought their political views into the classroom.
The messages by the two ministers came amid fears over the growing political role of Islam and the increasing polarisation of the country's three main ethnic communities.
Last week, in a rare decision, an Islamic syariah court in Penang allowed a Chinese convert to renounce Islam and return to Buddhism after her marriage to a Muslim man ended.
The court's decision sparked protests from a hardline Muslim group, which called for a judicial review of the decision.
Datuk Ahmad Zahid said Islam should be a platform of unity, not division. 'We notice that there have been some activities in religious schools or kindergartens, which were planned with an inclination towards certain political parties.
'This should not be the case. Leave your differences outside the school gates,' he said.
He was speaking to reporters in Putrajaya after launching a Teachers' Day celebration for religious teachers late on Saturday.
Datuk Ahmad Zahid said there had been attempts in some opposition-led states to replace certain leaders of mosque committees due to political differences.
