KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad says Islam is not about chopping hands and heads.
"Islam is not a cruel religion, and it is not about chopping heads, chopping hands.
"There are various ways of punishment which are much milder, but these people want to harass, want to cut people's hands, people's heads.
"That is not Islamic" said Dr Mahathir.
He also said the religion took care of humans lives and did not ask its followers to intrude into homes and look for people's sins.
The Prime Minister was commenting on an article in The Star today in which the government said it practised a compassionate form of Islam and was against khalwat raids on private premises.