By Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Friday, 15th June 1990:
DAP to take the initiative to propose talks with PAS leaders on the political situation and the next general elections
The DAP Central Executive Committee, at its meeting in Petaling Jaya last night, decided unanimously to take the initiative to propose talks with PAS leaders on the political situation and the next general elections.
This is inrresponse to the PAS General Assembly motion recently giving a mandate to the PAS leadership to hold talks with the DAP.
DAP leaders are prepared to listen to the PAS leaders on their concept of an Islamic State, and will also explain to PAS leaders why the DAP is opposed to an Islamic State, and further, why it is not possible for PAS or any other organizations to establish an Islamic State in Malaysia because of the multi-racial and multi-religious character of the country.
DAP demands immediate amendment of Selangor Islamic Law Administration Enactment as serious violation of secular foundation of Malaysia
The DAP Central Executive Committee reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that Malaysia will remain a secular state, where there is full religious freedom, and where there will be no imposition of any Islamic law, regulation or value on non-Muslim Malaysians.
The DAP Central Executive Committee called for the immediate amendment of Sections 67 and 70 of the Selangor Islamic Law Administration Enactment as violating this important principle in a secular state, where there will be no imposition of any Islamic law, regulation or value on non-Muslim Malaysians.
If the talks with the PAS leaders take place, DAP leaders will explore with PAS leaders as to whether there is any possibility for both parties to co-operate on four common principles, namely to save democracy, restore human rights, establish socio-economic justice and promote national unity.
The DAP CEC has decided in principle that the DAP could co-operate with PAS on these four principles, provided PAS sets aside its Islamic State objectives.
DAP CEC deplores arrest of three Sabahans under ISA
The DAP CEC also discussed the Sabah state general elections, and the arrest of three Sabahans under the Internal Security Act and the allegation of the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Haniff Omar, of a plot to take Sabah out of Malaysia.
The DAP CEC deplores the use of the Internal Security Act to detain the executive secretary of the Kadazan-Dusun Cultural Association and MAPEN member, Benedict Topin, ex-police detective Damit Undikai and ex-policeman Alibinus Yudah and demands they be brought to trial in open court or be freed without conditions.
Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan, has said that he sits in the National Security Council and has not been informed of an alleged plot to take Sabah out of Malaysia, although one of the three detained, Benedict Topin, is the Secretary of the Kadazan-Dusun Cultural Association of which Joseph Pairin is Chairman.
This cannot but undermine the credibility of the IGP’s allegation of a plot to take Sabah out of Malaysia, for if there is such a plot, the first person to be informed would be none other than the Sabah Chief Minister himself.
DAP calls for the immediates release of the three Sabahans detained under the ISA, or at least latest, by the nomination day of the Sabah State General Elections on July 2.