The government has been urged to increase the number of National Islamic Secondary schools (SMKA) in the country as they produced intellectuals who are also well-versed in Islam.
The Perak Youth Council, which made the call yesterday, said SMKAs that teach religion and Arabic are superior to the Public Religious schools (SAR).
The council chairman Nadzri Ismail said 'the government may also increase the number of religious classes in all government secondary schools'.
Mr Nadzri, who is a state legislative assemblyman, said Kelantan Mentri Besar Nik Aziz Nik Mat's statement - that it was up to the students to choose the kind of school to go to - cannot be accepted.
He said PAS leaders would manipulate the SARs for their own political gain.
The government could easily absorb the 126,000 SAR students into the SMKAs as they are better equipped.
The SARs, on the other hand, were left behind, he added.
Public religious schools are said to be fomenting hatred for the country's leaders and breeding extremism.
The government is threatening to withhold funding next year and is investigating teachers and administrators.
Some grants have been suspended.