DR Mahathir Mohamad tonight gave his assurance that Pakatan Harapan would govern the country based on the tenets of Islam.

Amid divided public opinion over his choice of attorney-general in Tommy Thomas, a non-Malay, non-Muslim lawyer, the prime minister said the PH government had been wrongly accused of failing to protect Islam as the official religion of the country.

“It’s not true. We are responsible for governing the country without going against the teachings of Islam.

“We know there are many people who claim to be protecting Islam and say they will form an Islamic government, but their actions are in fact contrary to Islamic teachings.

“That’s why we are not hesitant to govern based on Islamic principles. We will prove that their principles are not in accordance with Islamic teachings,” Dr Mahathir told some 2,000 Bersatu members, who gathered for the party’s breaking of fast event at Putrajaya today.

Under the constitution, the king is to appoint the attorney-general on the advice of the prime minister. 

However, the Malay rulers disagreed with Dr Mahathir’s choice of Thomas and are holding an emergency meeting in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow on the matter. 

Dr Mahathir said the government would not do anything that went against Islamic teachings.

“If we uphold the true teachings of Islam, it will ensure that our country will be well governed and in accordance to the rule of law, and we will look after the people.

“And this will not only be accepted by Muslims but non-Muslims as well, and there will be no discrimination against other people because Islam teaches us to govern justly. This has been repeated many times in the Quran.”

Thomas is well known as a constitutional lawyer and is also respected in the international legal world. His appointment is to be for two years only but supporters believe it would send the right signal to Malaysians and the rest of the world that the new government is serious about reforming the country’s institutions.

It will also ensure the presence of a skilled litigator in chambers to handle high-profile cases, including the prosecution of those involved in the 1Malaysia Development Bhd scandal. – June 4, 2018.