by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Sunday, February 2, 1992:
Kit Siang proposes a Three Lim ‘Year of the monkey’ Declaration on Islamic State and Islamisation measures
After the three-day visit to Kelantan by the DAP delegation, and the meeting with the Kelantan Mentri Besar, Haji Nik Aziz Nik Mat, the DAP is still waiting for the MCA President, Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik and the Gerakan President, Datuk Lim Keng Yaik, to furnish instances and examples that the Chinese in Kelantan have been ‘oppressed’ and ‘persecuted’ by the Islamisation measures of the PAS-led Kelantan State Government which infringed their non-Muslim rights and interests.
A day before the meeting with the Kelantan Mentri Besar, I specially sent an urgent fax to both Liong Sik and Keng Yaik asking for five instances of such ‘oppression’, ‘persecution’ and ‘infringement’ of the non-Muslim rights and interests of the Chinese in Kelantan – but Liong Sik and Keng Yaik could not furnish even one example each!
The time has come for Liong Sik and Keng Yaik to act as responsible political leaders and not as irresponsible rabble-rousers or rumour-mongers.
They should either withdraw the serious MCA and Gerakan allegations that the Chinese in Kelantan have been ‘oppressed’ and ‘persecuted’ by Kelantan State Government by 62 Islamisation measures infringed their non-Muslim rights and interests, or they should have the courage to accept my standing challenge to a public debate on the Islamic State and Islamisation measures in Kelantan and Malaysia, and the policies of the MCA, Gerkan and DAP.
As we are beginning a Chinese New Year, I am prepared to offer them another alternative, My proposal to Liong Sik and Keng Yaik is that on behalf of MCA, Gerakan and DAP, we conclude a Three-Lim ‘Year of the Monkey’ Declaration on Islamic State and Islamisation measures, comprising of the two main declarations:
Firstly, uncompromising rejection of the Islamic State concept ad utterly incompatible to the secular basis of the nation as provided for in the Constitution and unsuitable for a multi-racial, multi- religious democratic Malaysian society;
Secondly, uncompromising opposition and rejection of Islamisation measures which infringe on non-Muslim rights and interests, whether from PAS or UMNO.
If we agree on this Three-Lim ‘Year of the Monkey’ Declaration on Islamic State and Islamisation measures, the MCA, Gerakan and DAP can agree to set up a common committee to monitor all Islamisation measures in the country, whether at national or state government levels, and to take a common stand to oppose those Islamisation measures which infringed non-Muslim rights and interests.
Visit to Trengganu, Johore and other states to discuss with their Mentris Besar about their Islamisation measures which infringed non-Muslim rights and interests
MCA and Gerkan leades must be aware that over the years, Islamisation measures detrimental to the rights and interests of non-Muslims had been adopted in many states.
After the Chinese New Year, I propose to visit Trengganu, Johore and other States with a DAP delegation to discuss with their Mentris Besar about the Islamisation measures in their states which infringed non-Muslim rights and interests.
I hope that the Mentri Besars of the other states would be as open and frank as Kelantan Mentri Besar in willing to listen to our views as well as to be sensitive to the rights and feelings of non-Muslim Malaysians.