Recently, the Islamic credentials of our deputy prime minister have been bolstered by his declaration that Malaysia has always been an Islamic state, "with its own interpretation".

Najib Abdul Razak reportedly gave two arguments to substantiate his position. He stated that Malaysia has always been "driven by our adherence to the fundamentals of Islam" and that Islam is the official religion.

He found an unexpected ally on his position. Raja Petra Kamarudin, an influential blogger well known for his "anti-establishment" views, agrees with Najib.

Raja Petra affirms that "the Constitution clearly expressed the more elevated position of Islam over the other religions". This, for him, proves that Malaysia is not a secular state, but a Negara Islam. Raja Petra takes issue with MCA's claim that "Malaysia is historically a secular state". He asks how far back historically they want to take the statement.