Malaysia is multicultural and multiconfessional. The dominant religion in Malaysia is Islam, whose followers make up 61.3% of the population. Islam is recognised as the state religion of Malaysia, although the country has a secular constitution. Debate exists about whether Malaysia should be a secular or Islamic state, with politics often becoming entwined with religion. Due to contention with an Islamic opposition, the ruling government has slowly become more Islamic, with Islam beginning to have more influence over day-to-day life in Malaysia. The government promotes the spread of Islam, which is under the control of individual states.