(Kuala Lumpur Monday): The latest announcement by the Prime Minister,
Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in Parliament today that Malaysia is not a
moderate Islamic state but an Islamic fundamentalist state (Bernama) is
most shocking beyond belief.
I call on the MCA, Gerakan, MIC, SUPP, PBS and
other Barisan Nasional component parties to make a clear and unequivocal stand
that they are against the �929 Declaration� that Malaysia is an Islamic
state made by Mahathir at the Gerakan national assembly on September 29 last
year as well as the Prime Minister�s latest announcement that Malaysia is not
a �moderate Islamic state� but �an Islamic fundamentalist state�.
In replying to the DAP MP for Kepong, Dr. Tan
Seng Giaw during question time today, Mahathir said that there was
�nothing important� in the difference between an Islamic State and a
Muslim country, as what was important was the fact that the world recognized
Malaysia as an Islamic state.
He said he was invited by Pope John Paul II
because he was recognized as a leader of an Islamic state and that if DAP cannot
accept that �we don�t care�The important thing is the world accepted that,
including the Pope�.
I beg to differ from Mahathir, as what is really
important is whether Malaysians agree to the jettisoning of the 1957 Merdeka Constitution, �social
contract� and 1963 Malaysia Agreement of
Malaysia as a democratic,
secular, multi-religious, tolerant and progressive nation with Islam as the
official religion but not an Islamic State and making the tectonic shift of
accepting Malaysia not only as an Islamic state in the �929 Declaration� but
as a �fundamentalist� Islamic State.
The first three Prime Ministers, starting with
Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman, followed by Tun Razak and Tun Hussein Onn had
stoutly defended the 1957 Merdeka Constitution, �social contract� and the
1963 Malaysia Agreement that Islam is the official religion but Malaysia is not
an Islamic state, and now comes Mahathir with his �929 Declaration� that
Malaysia is an Islamic State, and nine months later, the declaration that
Malaysia is not a moderate Islamic state but a �fundamentalist� Islamic
State.
Mahathir may not �care� for the opposition
of the DAP to his �929 Declaration� and his latest declaration today that
Malaysia is a �fundamentalist� Islamic state, but he should care for the
opposition not only of the Malaysian Consultative Council for Buddhism,
Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism (MCCBCHS) which declared in a statement on
January 31 this year its opposition to any attempt to establish an Islamic State
in Malaysia but the ordinary
Malaysians, regardless of race, religion, political affiliation or territory,
who disagree with him and who want
to defend and preserve the 1957 Merdeka Constitution, the �social contract�
and the 1963 Malaysia Agreement.
The opposition to Mahathir�s �929
Declaration� is not anti-Islam or the first three Prime Ministers, Tunku Abdul
Rahman, Tun Razak and Tun Hussein Onn would be anti-Islam in upholding the 1957
Merdeka Constitution, �social contract� and 1963 Malaysia Agreement.
If opposing Mahathir�s �929 Declaration�
is anti-Islam, then even PAS could be accused of being anti-Islam as it also
disagrees with Mahathir�s �929 Declaration� although for completely
different reasons from those of the DAP.
If the Barisan Nasional wants to be true to the
1957 Merdeka Constitution, the �social contract� and the 1963 Malaysia
Agreement, then Mahathir should withdraw the �929 Declaration� and his
announcement in Parliament this morning that Malaysia is not a moderate Islamic
State but a �fundamentalist Islamic state� and all the Barisan Nasional
component parties should apologise for their deviation from the 44-year
fundamental constitutional principle and nation-building cornerstone that Islam
is the official religion but Malaysia is not an Islamic state.
DAP views
with grave seriousness Mahathir�s unilateral, arbitrary and unconstitutional
�929 Declaration�: and his announcement today that Malaysia is a
fundamentalist Islamic state, and
these issues will be top of the
agenda in the DAP Central Executive Committee meeting on Wednesday to consider
how best to defend and preserve the 1957 Merdeka Constitution, �social
contract� and the 1963 Malaysia Agreement.
(17/6/2002)