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DAP plans to  form “Defend Secular Malaysia support groups” as the main thrust in the second phase of the  “people’s mobilization” campaign  to unite and rally Malaysians  to uphold the 46-year constitutional principle supported by the first three Prime Ministers that Malaysia is a democratic, secular and multi-religious nation with Islam as the official religion but not an Islamic state Statement - at Kuantan Road market, Jelutong  on the  DAP’s Love Malaysia/Defend Secular Malaysia campaign by Lim Kit Siang (Penang,  Saturday): DAP plans to form “Defend Secular Malaysia support groups” as the main thrust in the second phase of the  “people’s mobilization” campaign  to unite and rally Malaysians   to uphold the 46-year constitutional principle supported by the first three Prime Ministers that Malaysia is a democratic, secular and multi-religious nation with Islam as the official religion but not an Islamic state.  The second phase of “people’s mobilization” in the “Defend Secular Malaysia” campaign will go hand in hand with the first phase of “people’s awareness” campaign, as we want every Malaysian to be aware of the 10 commonly asked questions about the Islamic State and able to give the correct answers, such as:  Is opposing Islamic State being anti-Islam? Isn’t it true that MCA, Gerakan and MIC are also opposed to an Islamic State? Would voting for DAP result in helping PAS topple BN from power? UMNO’s Islamic State is moderate, PAS’ Islamic State is extreme, do we need to choose either one of them? Will a vote for the Barisan Nasional be an endorsement for an Islamic State? Dr. Mahathir’s “929 Declaration”  that Malaysia is an Islamic State is just a political game-plan to check PAS.  He has no real intention to establish an Islamic State. Is it true? Why can’t we wait until after the general election before deciding whether BN would set up an Islamic State? We cannot be satisfied with the first phase of “people’s awareness” of the “Defend Secular Malaysia” campaign unless at least over 80 per cent of the people in Penang are not only aware of these questions but also the answers.  However, there is an urgent need to start on the second phase of “people’s mobilization” in the Defend Secular Malaysia campaign, for two reasons:  Time is quickly running out, as there are only three to nine months to spread the message to defend a secular Malaysia before the holding of the next general elections, where a historic decision is to be made by the people as to whether the 46-year founding principles of  Malaysia  as a secular nation with Islam as the official religion but not an Islamic state is  to be upheld or abandoned, embarking  the country  on the irreversible road of an Islamic State. “Defend Secular Malaysia” is not the campaign of any single person or single political party, but should be the common goal of all Malaysians who cherish the Tunku’s nation-building formula of a secular Malaysia with Islam as the official religion but not an Islamic State. Malaysians, irrespective of race, religion or political affiliation, should take a common stand on this issue, which should transcend political differences or party affiliation. DAP’s offer to form a secular opposition front with Parti Keadilan Nasional,  Parti Rakyat Malaysia and other opposition forces, NGOs and individual Malaysians remains open.  For this campaign to succeed in the three to nine months  before the next general election, DAP leaders are prepared to work with any Malaysian, whether in the Barisan Nasional parties or Opposition, committed to the Defend Secular Malaysia objective.  This is why we will like to promote the establishment of “Defend Secular Malaysia” support groups – which are  open to Malaysians from all races, religions and even political affiliation, including MCA and Gerakan, for the defense of the  goal of a secular Malaysia with Islam as the official religion and not an Islamic State is no  monopoly of the DAP but must be  the commitment of every  Malaysian, to use the famous words of Bapa Malaysia and first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman at the mammoth 80th birthday  dinner celebrations hosted by Barisan Nasional two decades ago on February 8, 1983, “not to turn Malaysia into an Islamic State”.  The Defend Secular Malaysia support groups should plan out their activities to create greater awareness among the people about the importance of defending secular Malaysia with Islam as the official religion and  to educate them on how they can contribute to this goal.  For instance, Gerakan publicists and propagandists have implemented a cunning  strategy to neutralize and defeat the Defend Secular Malaysia campaign – by the simple ruse of spreading all over the state the message  that DAP is wasting time opposing an Islamic State as Malaysia is already an Islamic State, so what is there to oppose?  This is a very cunning propaganda ploy  by the  Gerakan leaders, for if they could convince the people that Malaysia is already an Islamic State, then the DAP”s “Defend Secular Malaysia” campaign immediately became pointless and irrelevant.  But is it true that Malaysia is already an Islamic State, and that it is too late to oppose it?  I challenge the Gerakan President, Datuk Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik and the Penang Chief Minister, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon to explain the role of Gerakan cadres and propagandists in spreading the untruth that Malaysia is already an Islamic state and the DAP’s Defend Secular Malaysia campaign is already too late.  This claim is of course false and baseless, but how many people can rebut and expose such a claim, without having to get any assistance from a third person?  This will be one of the first tasks of the “Defend Secular Malaysia Support Groups” when it is formed in Penang and other parts of the country. (20/9/2003) * Lim Kit Siang, DAP National Chairman