Speech ( Part 2 ) by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, at the DAP Alor Star DAP Branch 20th anniversary dinner held in Dewan Tou Mou Kong, Alor Star on Friday, 18st June 1993 at 7 p.m.
Kelantan Mentri Besar Nik Aziz should remember his undertaking to DAP leaders and ensure that status quo on the public sale and consumption of liquor concerning non-Muslims in Kelantan is maintained after July 1
Kelantan Mentri Besar, Nik Aziz Nik Mat would have broken his undertaking to DAP leaders in January 1992 if the PAS-led Kelantan State Government imposes a ban on public sale and consumption of liquor with effect from July 1.
It would be a grave infringement of non-Muslim rights if the Kelantan State Government enforces new regulations from July 1 which affect the customs, religious ceremonies and way of life of the Chinese and non-Muslims in Kelantan, as in the ban on alcohol in Chinese weddings and non-Uslim religious rites.
The new Kelantan state government regulation requiring Chinese dinners and functions to apply for local authority approval and licence before liquor could be served is totally unacceptable imposition and interference with the custom, way of life and religious rites of non-Muslims.
DAP had made it clear that while we fully respect measures taken by the PAS-led State Government to promote universal values to be found in all religions, as a clean, honest and just government and society, and measures which strictly concern Muslims, we cannot accept measures which infringe on the rights and interests of non-Muslim Malaysians in Kelantan.
I would remind Nik Aziz of the undertaking he gave DAP leaders when we met him in his office in Kota Bahru in January 1992 that the public sale and consumption of liquor affecting non-Muslims in Kelantan would continue, and to ensure that this status quo is maintained after July 1.
I would be very disappointed if Nik Aziz cannot honour his own undertaking.
If PAS-led State Government of Kelantan disregards the views and sensitivities of the non-Muslim communities in the State and does not respect their customs, way of life and religious rites, then PAS is virtually telling all non-Muslims in Malaysia that it is not prepared to respect the different ways of life, customs and religious ceremonies of other religious communities and races in Malaysia.