by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Saturday, February 8, 1992:
Kit Siang faxes formal proposal to Liong Sik and Keng Yaik on a Three Lim ‘Year of the Monkey’ Declaration on Islamic State and Islamisation measures
I have written to the MCA President, Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik and the Gerakan President, Datuk Dr. Lim Keng Yaik, formally proposing the signing of a Three Lim ‘Year of the Monkey’ Declaration on Islamic State and Islamisation measures.
My letter to Liong Sik and Keng Yaik, which were faxed to them this morning, reads:
“I am writing to formally propose the conclusion of a Three Lim ‘Year of the Monkey’ Declaration on Islamic state and Islamisation measures committing the MCA, Gerakan and DAP to oppose the Islamic State concept and Islamisation measures, whether from PAS or UMNO, which infringed non-Muslim rights and interests.
“As you know, such a Three Lim ‘Year of the Monkey’ Declaration cannot be lightly entered into, for it is very important and historic document as it will bind the signatory parties.
“Once concluded, all future actions and measures of the MCA, Gerakan and DAP will be judged against the Three Lim ‘Year of the Monkey’ Declaration as to whether they have been loyal both to its spirit and substance.
“The Three Lim ‘Year of the Monkey’ Declaration should comprise of two parts:
Firstly, a declaration of principles, which should set out
(i) an un comprising rejection of the Islamic State concept as 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;
(ii) uncompromising opposition and rejection of Islamisation measures which non-Muslim rights and interests, whether from PAS or UMNO.
Secondly, a commitment and an action programme to promote and advance the declaration of principles by the establishment of a Joint MCA-Gerakan-DAP Committee to implement the Three Lim ‘Year of the Monkey’ Declaration.
“The first task of this MCA-Gerakan-DAP Three-Lim ‘Year of the Monkey’ Declaration Implementation Committee is to prepare a full catalogue of Islamisation measures in the country, both nationally as well as in all State Governments, which infringe non-Muslim rights and interests.
“If you agree, the Three Lim ‘Year of the Monkey’ Declaration can be concluded anytime before Chap Goh Mei on 18th February 1992.
Kit Siang thanks Liong Sik and Keng Yaik for causing the DAP to send a delegation to visit Kelantan to find out the true facts
“Before I conclude, I wish to thank the MCA/Gerakan which, through its campaign of false hoods and lies about the ‘oppression’ and ‘persecution’ of the Chinese in Kelantan by the PAS-led State Government has caused the DAP to send a delegation to visit Kelantan and meet the Mentri Besar, Nik Aziz Nik Mat, to find out the true facts of the situation.
“I want to thank the MCA/Gerakan in particular as the fact-finding visit of the DAP delegation to Kelantan has enabled us to establish that there is no truth in the following eight allegations of MCA/Gerakan about the oppression and persecution of the Chinese in Kelantan, namely:
1. The Chinese in Kelantan cannot eat or sell pork;
2. They cannot drink beer publicly but must ‘hide and drink steathily’;
3. They cannot buy or sell liquor;
4. They must stop business during Muslim prayers;
5. They cannot go to unisex saloons;
6. Chinese women must cover their heads and wear Islamic attire;
7. Chinese women cannot work night shift; and
8. Chinese business signboards must be taken down and replaced with Jawi characters.