(Petaling Jaya, Thursday): The New Straits Times carried an article on
Tuesday entitled “Hobson’s choice for DAP leaders over proposed polls pact
with Pas” by Patrick Sennyah which said that “the present political tide”
shows that “the BN looks set to thrash the Opposition in the next general
election, let alone lose its two-thirds majority of Parliament”.
It said:
“Judging by recent events, it would be no
surprise if voters opt for the moderate Islamic State advocated by Umno rather
than the more extreme form of Islamic state proposed by Pas.”
The purpose of the DAP’s “No to 911,No to
929, Yes to 1957” campaign is to create awareness among the people of Malaysia
that the critical issue to be decided in the next general election is not to
choose between UMNO’s Islamic State or PAS’ Islamic State, but to defend and
preserve the 1957 Merdeka Constitution and “social contract” agreed by our
forefathers from the major communities and reaffirmed by the people of Sabah and
Sarawak in 1963 on the formation of Malaysia that Malaysia is a democratic,
secular, multi-religious, tolerant and progressive nation with Islam as the
official religion but not as an Islamic state.
In the next general election, voters must speak
up loud and clear that they do not want PAS’ Islamic State or UMNO’s Islamic
State, but want to preserve the democratic, secular, multi-religious, tolerant
and progressive Malaysia which had been the fundamental constitutional principle
and nation-buiding cornerstone for 44 years since Independence.
Last Friday, PAS President Datuk Fadzil Noor
outlined seven principles for the PAS’ model of an Islamic State.
DAP is prepared to meet and explain to PAS
leaders our objections to the PAS’ model of an Islamic state for being
incompatible with parliamentary
democracy and power-sharing in a plural society, human rights and individual
freedoms, women’s rights and social tolerance; just as DAP leaders are
prepared to meet with the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and
UMNO leaders to explain why the “929 declaration” that Malaysia is an
Islamic state is a tectonic shift from the fundamental nation-building
principles agreed in the 1957 Merdeka Constitution and “social
contract”.
In fact, DAP leaders are also prepared to meet
with MCA and Gerakan leaderships to explain to them why they have gone against
the 1957 Merdeka Constitution and “social contract” in supporting
Mahathir’s “929 Declaration” that Malaysia is an Islamic state and why
they should withdraw their support for a stand which has no constitutional basis
nor national mandate.
The DAP Central Executive Committee at its next
meeting in a fortnight’s time will consider the proposal to officially write
to all political parties, whether Barisan Nasional or Barisan Alternative, for a
meeting with their leaderships on the importance of upholding and preserving the
1957 Merdeka Constitution and “social contract” as a prerequisite for
Malaysia’s success in the 21st
century to face the challenges of globalisation,
liberalization and the information and communications technology.
(6/6/2002)