Karpal: I'm no bigot - NST

By : Sharanjit Singh and Syed Umar Ariff

GEORGE TOWN: DAP national chairman Karpal Singh yesterday dismissed allegations that he was a bigot for continuously making a stand against the formation of an Islamic state.

Karpal, who has come under fire in blogs and also received death threats, said he had never insulted Islam and that Muslims should not turn him into another Salman Rushdie.

"I cannot understand why some people are saying that I have insulted Islam.

"What I have been against and will continue to be against is attempts by Pas to turn this country into an Islamic state," he said, adding he was just standing up for what was stated in the country's Constitution, that Malaysia was a secular state.

He said anyone who opposed his stand could be deemed to be challenging the constitution.

Karpal said he would continue to fight against the Islamic state issue despite being criticised in blogs, including a call to kill him on the Johor Pas website.

[More at http://www.nst.com.my/Sunday/National/2224838/Article/index_html]