(June 2): PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu today reminded PAS members the importance of maintaining good relationship with non-Muslims to ensure their support for the Islamist party continues.

Mohamad, also known as Mat Sabu, said members should continue to exercise tolerance with non-Muslims, so long as it does not contravene with the teachings of Islam or party rules.

"In our actions, we should not be seen as chasing them away from us.

"Chasing them away here does not mean literally, but in our deeds and statements.

"Look for the highest level of tolerance as long as it does not damage our faith, contradict the shura council, and violate the principles of Islam," he said when opening the PAS Youth Muktamar in Shah Alam today.

Mat Sabu's call comes at a time when the party's push for the implementation of hudud has widened the gap between the Islamist party and its partners PKR and DAP.

Even today, the rift was evident with no DAP representatives attending the PAS Youth assembly.

News portal Malaysiakini also quoted DAP organising secretary Anthony Loke as saying that the party will skip both today’s and Thursday’s main event in Kuala Selangor.

Although no reason was given, the decision was believed to be due to the party's insistence of going ahead with pushing for the implementation of hudud.

Mat Sabu also warned members against adopting the culture of name-calling and labelling each other kafir (infidel) which he said could disrupt the party in the long run.

He cited Somalia and Syria, which he said were divided into seven to eight groups which each of them claiming to defend Islam, but were hostile with one another.

"If we engage in this now, in 20 or 30 years’ time, we may find it hard to get out of the situation,

"Europe itself had to deal with similar conflict some 200 years ago," he said, referring to the conflict between Protestants and Catholics.

"What we want is more of 'Ban Ki-moon' not people who going around creating wars." he said.

Ban Ki-Moon is the eighth and current UN secretary-general recognised for his efforts in combating conflict and human rights abuses. – The Malaysian Insider