Press Statement by Karpal Singh in Kuala Lumpur on
Tuesday, 20th January 2009:
MCA owes the Chinese an apology
It is mischievous for MCA political
education bureau chairman, Gan Ping Siew, to say that the DAP owes
non-Muslims an apology for campaigning for PAS in the Kuala Terengganu
by-election as it was tantamount to helping the Islamist party establish
theocratic rule in the country.
The DAP stand ahs always been against establishing a theocratic state or
an Islamic state in the country whether it be by PAS or UMNO. This stand
has been there even before PAS became a component party un the Pakatan
Rakyat.
In fact, it is the MCA which supported the setting up of an Islamic
state when former Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamad, declared Malaysia
an Islamic state in September, 2001 when addressing the Gerakan general
assembly. The MCA can be deemed to have accepted Dr Mahathir’s
declaration that Malaysia was already an Islamic state. There was not
even a whimper on the part of any MCA, Gerakan or MIC leader against
that wholly and absolutely a declaration devoid of any substance or
merit. In fact, Dr Mahathir publicly challenged the Federal Constitution
which declares Malaysia to be a secular state. Further, Dr Mahathir’s
declaration contradicted the public statements by Tunku Abdul Rahman and
Tun Hussein Onn, who were lawyers, that Malaysia was a secular state. Dr
Mahathir’s declaration was also in contempt of the declaration by a
five-member bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Tun Salleh Abas, in
1988 that it was secular law which applied in the country which meant
Malaysia was a secular state.
Non-Muslims in the country are well aware of the DAP’s stand against an
Islamic state. Time and again, DAP leaders have made this clear both in
and out of Parliament. The record speaks for itself unlike the MCA’s
record which supports an Islamic state on the premise that the MCA
supported the declaration by Dr Mahathir in 2001 that Malaysia was an
Islamic state.
It is the MCA which owes the Chinese an apology, and not the DAP. The
MCA should not pull wool over the eyes of the Chinese particular and
non-Muslims in general.
The DAP’s position in the Pakatan Rakyat is crystal-clear when it comes
to the country being a secular state, and not an Islamic state. That
position is backed by constitutional authority. That is the caveat under
which the DAP cooperates with both PKR and PAS. Both PKR and PAS are
fully aware of this solemn caveat.
The DAP’s participation in the Pakatan Rakyat is to ensure that there is
a two-party system in the country which is a necessity to give the
people a choice of the government they would wan installed after a
general election. This choice which the people have been given is
clearly reflected in the March 8 general election last year. The DAP
wants a two-party system to be perpactuated in the public interest.
However, it must be on the basis of sincerity and principle on the part
of the component parties of Pakatan Rakyat. Matters of principle must be
given the highest premium. It is towards that objective that the DAP
will play its role in the Pakatan Rakyat.
* Karpal Singh, DAP National Chairman & MP for Bukit
Gelugor
http://dapmalaysia.org