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UMNO leaders seems to ignore all the historical facts that Malaysia is a secular state based on the Federal Constitution with Islam as the official religion and continue to push forward their own political agenda to out-Islamize PAS   Media Statement by Loke Siew Fook   (Petaling Jaya, Friday): DAPSY regrets the statement by UMNO Youth Chief Datuk Hishammuddin Tun Hussein that the Parliamentary Opposition Leader's statement could lead to negative implications and affect relations among various races and religions in the country. This is a typical response from UMNO leaders whenever the issue of Islamic State is raised and in the process creates the notion that the question of Islamic State cannot be discussed in the public domain. DAPSY urges UMNO Youth leaders to be more open-minded in the public discourse on the issue of Islamic State as this is a very important issue which will shape the nation-building process of Malaysia. DAP has argued extensively in the past two years that Malaysia is not an Islamic State or Islamic country based on the framework of Federal Constitution, the various important legal documents and judicial landmarks and the Social Contract reached by our founding fathers during Independence. UMNO leaders seems to ignore all the historical facts that Malaysia is a secular state based on the Federal Constitution with Islam as the official religion and continue to push forward their own political agenda to out-Islamize PAS. UMNO leaders must be reminded that Malaysia is a multi-racial and multi-religious societies with more than 40% of the population are non-Muslims. UMNO and Barisan Nasional should not be too complacent and assume the  landslide majority won by them in last general election as an endorsement to the September 29, 2001 pronouncement by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad that Malaysia is already an Islamic State. Hishammuddin is too arrogant when he said that whatever issues raised by the opposition, BN would continue to get the support of both Muslims and non-Muslims. He should take note and try to understand the message from the strong support enjoyed by the DAP in the last general in particular among the non-Muslim community. DAP National Chairman who is also Parliamentary Opposition Leader has been rightfully and diligently discharge his duties to articulate and voice the hopes and aspirations of Malaysians whom majority who not like to see Malaysia being turned into a theocratic state. The freedom of expression in particular the rights of MPs to raise up issues of public importance in Parliament must not be curtailed and must be defended at all cost. (11/6/2004) * DAPSY National Secretary and Negeri Sembilan State Assemblyman for Lobak, Loke Siew Fook