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Merdeka Celebration: Malaysians should reaffirm Tunku’s greatest contribution to the nation   Press Statement by Kerk Kim Hock (Petaling Jaya, Monday): The DAP will carry out a series of activities starting this Friday, 15 August, to commemorate the nation’s 46th Merdeka Day.   Our activities will be aimed at calling on Malaysians to reaffirm Bapa Malaysia, Tunku Abdul Rahman’s greatest contribution to the nation --- the founding nation building principle of a democratic, secular, multi religious, tolerant and progressive nation with Islam as the official religion but Malaysia is not an Islamic State.       The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohammad, has recently said in Sarawak that Malaysians must protect and enhance the nation building formula of the nation’s first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman.   We must therefore uphold an important pillar of the Tunku’s nation building formula – to preserve his founding nation building principle and his legacy message of “ not to turn Malaysia into an Islamic State “.   During his 80 th birthday dinner on 8.2.1983, Tunku had advised the Barisan Nasional leaders present, including Dr Mahathir Mohammad, not to turn Malaysia into an Islamic State.   We believe that an Islamic State, whether ala Umno or Pas, violates the constitutional principle and the nation building cornerstone that Islam is the official religion of the nation but Malaysia is not an Islamic state. The Prime Minister's declaration on 29.9.2001 that Malaysia is an Islamic State has clearly gone against the Tunku’s advice.   DAP will launch the Merdeka celebration to call on Malaysians to reaffirm Tunku’s greatest contribution to the nation--the founding nation building principle of a democratic, secular, multi religious, tolerant and progressive Malaysia.   The first activity in the form of a leafleting campaign to call on the people to uphold the Tunku’s legacy message “ not to turn Malaysia into an Islamic State” will be launched on 15.8.2003.   The DAP has also set up a national Committee to plan, coordinate and carry out the series of nationwide activities: The Committee line up is as follows:   DAP 46 Th Merdeka Commemoration Committee   Chairman:                         Tan Kok  Wai Vice Chairmen:                M Kula Segaran                                            Ahamd Ton                                            Ngeh Koo Ham                                            Chow Kon Yeow Secretary                          Teresa Kok Assistant Secretaries     Anthony  Loke                                            Ean Yang Hian Wah Treasurer                          Fong Kui Lun Assistant Treasurer         Ng Kwi Ling Committee Members      Sim Tong Him                                            Ronnie Liu                                            Chong Chieng Jen                                            Alex Lim                                            Leong Mee Meng                                            Kuan Perk Siong   (11/8/2003) *  Kerk Kim Hock, DAP Secretary General & MP for Kota Melaka