COMMENT | Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng has provoked another round of debate, dissection and analysis of whether Malaysia is a secular state or an Islamic state.

PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man in his response to Lim said Malaysia is not a secular country and that PAS accepts the basic pillars in the formation of the country such as Islam as the official religion, Malay rulers’ position, Malay language as the official language, and Malay culture as the national culture including the special privileges of the Malays.

Before I address this subject, I wish to examine whether a secular state is anti-Malay, anti-Islam, anti-royalty or anti-religion...