Mahathir should explain whether the endorsement of  the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council for UMNO’s  Islamic state concept was for a “secular Islamic state”  as claimed by MCA in the Chinese media


Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang
 

(Penang, Saturday): The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday that there is no need for Malaysia to amend its constitution to make it an Islamic state  as it is already one such nation.

He said: “When UMNO declared Malaysia was an Islamic state recently, it did not mean that there would be amendments to the Constitution.”

Mahathir told reporters after chairing the Barisan Nasional supreme council meeting at the Putra World Trade Centre that  all the Barisan Nasional   parties were comfortable with UMNO’s definition of Malaysia as an Islamic state.

Many questions await answer for this extraordinary chain of events, such as:
 


Mahathir’s declaration of Malaysia as an Islamic state under UMNO rule and the swift but blind and unthinking support given by the leaders of  other Barisan Nasional component parties threaten a  fundamental basis of the Malaysian nation-building process  and must be the concern of  all Malaysians who are committed to the preservation of Malaysia as a democratic, secular and morally-based nation.

(6/10/2001)



*Lim Kit Siang - DAP National Chairman