by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Wednesday, 7.2.1990:
DAP fully supports the nation-wide campaign of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism to reject the imposition of Syariah (Islamic Laws) on non-Muslim Malaysians
DAP fully supports the nation-wide campaign of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism (MCCBCHS) to reject the imposition, of Syariah (Islamic Laws) on non-Muslim Malaysians.
The national campaign of the MCCBCHS takes two forms: Firstly, a nation-wide signature campaign to request the Government to ensure that the Syariah is not imposed on non-Muslim Malaysians; and secondly, three-day nation-wide prayers from Feb. 9-11. The prayers are for:
(a) Freedom to profess and practise one’s religion;
(b) Freedom from the application of the Syariah to non-Muslim Malaysians; and
(c) Peace and understanding between peoples of the different faiths.
National DAPSY had launched a nation-wide signature campaign last year to oppose the Selangor Islamic Law Administration Enactment which has violated the fundamental right of non-Muslim parents to unfettered custody, control and guardianship of their children and the freedom of religion, and this campaign will continue until the Selangor Assembly repeals Sections 67 and 70 of the Selangor Enactment.
I call on all non-Muslim Malaysians to respond to the MCCBCHS campaign for a three-day prayer for freedom of religion, including freedom from the imposition of Syariah.
This is not an academic issue. Only a few days ago, the case of 15-year-old girl, Ooi Kim Hooi, who has deserted her family, has joined the lengthening list of non-Muslim minors who have converted to Islam without parental knowledge or consent, resulting in family break-ups and sufferings.
Yesterday, I called on the MCA President and Ministers to state their stand on the Ooi Kim Hooi case, but the MCA leaders appeared to have entered the 1990s as even more dumb, deaf and blind than in the 1980s and 1970s.
I must also commend the MCCBCHS for preparing a lucid and rational case to explain “Why MCCBCHS Rejects the Application of the Syariah On Non-Muslims” and I urge very non-Muslim Malaysian to read it.
Call on MCA, Gerakan and MIC Ministers to raise the grave concerns of MCCBCHS about freedom of religion in the Cabinet
Some of the examples which the MCCBCHS has cited to demonstrate its concern with attempts to gradually apply the Islamic Law in Malaysia are:
• The subject, “Islamic Civilization”, has become compulsory for all tertiary students in Malaysia. MCCBCHS had appealed, time and again, to the Government to allow the teaching of the pupil’s own religion in the schools, but in vain.
• In most of the town structural plans whether Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh, Klang or Johore Bahru, there is a disparity of proportions for the building of mosques, temples and churches.
• Similarly, in these structural plans, there is either discrimination in the allocation of land for burial purposes or no allocation at all for the non-Muslims.
• It is very difficult and frustrating to get approval for the building of a temple or a Church.
• On radio and television, there is blatant injustice for non-Muslim programmes.
• Prohibition and restriction of foreign religious personnel, like priests and temple musicians, for non-Muslim religions.
• Crosses have been removed from some of the Mission schools.
• There have been distorted write-ups of religions other than Islam in school textbooks.
• Children below the age of maturity have been converted to Islam without the consent of parents or guardians.
• Non-Muslims have been forbidden to use certain words of Arabic origin in Bahasa Malaysia.
• Free circulation of anti-Christian tapes and literature.
DAP will raise these grave concerns of the MCCBCHS in Parliament when it begins its meeting on February 26. We also call on MCA, Gerakan and MIC Ministers to raise the concerns of the MCCBCHS about freedom of religion in the Cabinet and let the people know what they have done about these grave fundamental issues in the country.