The race for votes has led political parties like Umno and PAS to use Islam as a platform and do things which 'we do not believe in' at the expense of the nation, said a minister.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz made this shocking remark in response to a question at a dialogue with lawyers on whether the country was pandering to the whims and fancies of Islamic hardliners.

The de facto law minister ( photo:left ) said the Malay-based Umno was forced to do the same as Islamic-opposition party PAS in using religion as a platform to garner votes.

"We are doing a disservice to our nation, we are led into doing something that we don't believe," added Nazri, who is also an Umno supreme council member.

During the dialogue at the Bar Council auditorium in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, lawyer Haris Ibrahim had asked the minister if the government was being 'held to ransom' by these Islamic hardliners.

"We felt that Pak Lah (Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi) was a breath of fresh air but we are afraid that it was a false hope.

"We don't want to surrender this beautiful nation to a few people or hardliners that pretend to speak for the majority," said the lawyer.

Speak-up

In his reply, Nazri said secular-minded Muslims must speak up even at the risk of being labeled as infidels or apostates.

"The problem among Muslims is that we rely on people who are knowledgeable (Islamic scholars) but people like you and me are secular.

"So speak up, even if you may not be the majority," he added.

According to the minister, even 'conservative' groups have told him that those who are not well-versed in religion should refrain from talking about Islam, a view which he disagreed with

From a political perspective, he said if the silent majority voices its views, then politicians will not be able to ignore them because they want to win elections.

"I know Haris is getting a hard time (over his court cases) and being called an infidel, apostate... This is the price we pay but you must speak up," he stressed.

Haris has been involved in several religious dispute cases including those related to self-styled spiritual leader Ayah Pin.

At this juncture, another lawyer asked if the government would assure the safety of those who spoke up and not invoke the Sedition Act.

In a cryptic response, Nazri said that discussing religion was sensitive but those who speak out will know what and what not to say.