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“No to 929” and the defence of the 46-year constitutional compact of Malaysia as a democratic, secular and multi-religious nation with Islam as the official religion is the  primary theme in the next general election Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang (Penang,  Thursday): If Terengganu PAS Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang is right that Terengganu became an Islamic state when Pas assumed power after winning the general election in 1999, then this is  a clear breach of the Barisan Alternative 1999 general election common manifesto “Towards A Just Malaysia” which made no reference whatsoever to the establishment of an Islamic state, whether at the Federal or any state level.  Hadi never made this claim when the DAP was still in the Barisan Alternative; and although the DAP has left the Barisan Alternative on September 22, 2001 because of differences over the Islamic State issue, Hadi’s announcement in the Terengganu State Assembly yesterday nevertheless came as a surprise – and the other Barisan Alternative member parties are clearly called upon to make a public stand whether they had agreed to Terengganu becoming an Islamic state after the 1999 general election.  In an interview with New Sunday Times, Hadi said that “non-Muslims would not reject Pas if they understood that an Islamic government was fair to non-Muslims and could rule effectively”.  It is sad that Hadi does not  grasp the fundamental  objection to an Islamic state in Malaysia, that it is not because one is anti-Islam or because of prejudices against the religion, but for three  basic  reasons, firstly,  that Malaysia is a multi-racial and multi-religious nation; secondly, the system of governance must be based on citizenship and not religion; and thirdly, the fundamental constitutional principle and nation-building cornerstone in the 1957 Merdeka Constitution, the “social contract” and 1963 Malaysia agreement that Malaysia is democratic, secular and multi-religious nation with Islam as the official religion but Malaysia is not an Islamic state.  On these three grounds, Hadi’s position is as unacceptable as the “929 declaration” of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad at the Gerakan national delegates’ conference on Sept. 29, 2001 that Malaysia is an Islamic state.  Last month, addressing a special seminar co-organised by the Gerakan-led Penang State Government, Acting Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Malaysia is an Islamic state and was one long before Mahathir’s   "929 declaration" nineteen  months ago. Abdullah’s position is as baseless and unfounded as Mahathir’s “929 Declaration” and Hadi’s justification for an Islamic state in Malaysia.  It is a matter of grave concern that the  “929 Declaration” has resulted in snowballing  instances of  creeping attempts to move Malaysia towards an Islamic state such as: The PAS Terengganu State Government passing   the Terengganu Syariah Criminal Offence (Hudud and Qisas) Enactment in the Terengganu State Assembly in July last year in its attempt to up the ante in the UMNO-PAS competition to out-Islam each other;  The Johore Bahru municipal councils decision  to impose  new regulations in January this year requiring the written  consent of Muslim neighbours before the issue of  any dog licence – undermining national unity and social tolerance. The hudud punishment of a male and a female student of a religious school in Kota Bahru who were caned 25 times each for talking to each other which prompted an UMNO Kelantan leader to deplore that “extremism had crept into institutions and society in the country”. The unreasonable and insensitive ruling by International Islamic University (IIU)  compelling non-Muslim female students to wear the tudong – especially when  the IIU is funded by the Malaysian taxpayers from all races and religions. The  ban on the Iban Bible and other Christian literature in Bahasa Malaysia violating  the constitutional  right  of freedom of religion. The only way to end the creeping attempts to  nudge Malaysia towards an Islamic state is for Malaysians to take a clear and united stand, particularly in the next general election, rejecting  the “929 Declaration”  and defending  the 46-year constitutional  compact and nation-building cornerstone of Malaysia as a secular and multi-religious nation with Islam as the official religion but Malaysia is not an Islamic state. The “No to 929” stand and the defence of the 46-year constitutional compact of Malaysia as a democratic, secular and multi-religious nation with Islam as the official religion must therefore be  the  primary theme in the next general election This is the centennial of the birthday of Bapa Malaysia and the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman.  There is no doubt that  if Tunku is still with us today, he would have been in the fore-front spearheading the "No to 929 Campaign" with Hussein Onn as his second-in-command - if the third Prime Minister is also alive today. On his 80th birthday, on Feb. 8, 1983, Tunku reminded  all the Barisan Nasional Ministers and leaders, including Mahathir, at a dinner hosted by Barisan Nasional “not to turn Malaysia into an Islamic state” – a theme which was publicly endorsed by the third Prime Minister, Tun Hussein Onn, a few days later. (24/4/2003) * Lim Kit Siang, DAP National Chairman