http://dapmalaysia.org  

PAS Islamic State blueprint a violation of 1999 Barisan Alternative common manifesto “Towards a Just Malaysia” Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang (Petaling Jaya,  Wednesday): The PAS Islamic State blueprint made public by the PAS President, Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang violates the 1999 Barisan Alternative common manifesto “Towards A Just Malaysia” which committed all subscribing parties to uphold the fundamental features of the 46-year-old Merdeka Constitution 1957 – one of which is that Malaysia is a democratic, secular, multi-religious nation with Islam as the official religion but not an Islamic state, whether ala-PAS or ala-UMNO.  The PAS blueprint, “The  Islamic State Document”, states that “the determining characteristic” of an Islamic State is the supremacy of Syari’ah law, which is totally at variance with the BA common manifesto commitment on the supremacy of the Merdeka Constitution.  The first rights to be affected by the Islamic State blueprint are citizenship rights, starting with the bar on non-Muslims from being the Prime Minister of the country.  In addition to the dichotomy of Malaysians into bumiputras and non-bumiputras, there will be a new dichotomy of Muslims and non-Muslims.  It is sad and shocking that PAS and the Barisan Alternative, instead of focusing the national political agenda on justice, freedom, democracy and good governance, will ensure that  UMNO and the Barisan Nasional will be able  present the voters  in the next general election with the false choice, i.e. to reject the PAS’ “extremist” Islamic State by supporting UMNO’s “moderate” Islamic – when the real choice is to defend the 46-year constitutional principle of Malaysia as a secular Malaysia with Islam as the official religion but not an Islamic state, whether ala-PAS or ala-UMNO. (12/11/2003) * Lim Kit Siang, DAP National Chairman