By Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjong, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Wednesday, 7th July 1993:
Liong Sik should reconsider invitation to ‘Three Lim’s beer drinking session in Kota Bahru as MCA leaders should not ask the people of Kelantan to drink beer publicly when the MCA President dare not do so himself
I would ask the MCA President, Datuk Dr.Ling Liong Sik, to reconsider my invitation to a ‘Three Lim’ beer-drinking session in Kota Bahru on any one of the four dates I had given-any one of the next four Sundays- as MCA leaders should not ask the people dare not do so himself.
Furthermore, if Liong Sik dare not go to Kelantan for a public beer-drinking session, even in my company and with my undertaking to give free legal service if any action should be taken against him, then Liong Sik would make people believe that the MCA is only interested in getting political mileage out of the new Kelantan regulation restricting public sale and consumption of alcohol affecting non-Muslims, and not to seriously address the fundamental issues involves, namely:
* Infringement of the right of non-Muslims to lead their way of life without interference by Islamic laws and regulations;
* undermining of the secular basis of the Federal Constitution and the Malaysian nation-building process;
* the breach of a serious undertaking given by the Kelantan Mentri Besar, Nik Aziz Nik Mat, to DAP leaders in January 1992 that the status quo with regard to the Kelantan regulations on the public sale and consumption of alcohol affecting non-Muslims would be maintained.
Liong Sik should instruct all MCA and MCA Youth leaders to observe these guidelines in their opposition to the new Kelantan regulations restricting the public sale and consumption of alcohol affecting non-Muslims, so that MCA does not create the impression that the Chinese and non-Muslims encourage alcoholism and drunkards.
Liong Sik should be aware that all religions condemn alcoholism and drunkards and political parties in opposing the new Kelantan regulations restricting public sale and consumption of alcohol affecting non-Muslims encourage alcoholism and drunkards.
The proposed ‘Three Lim’ get-together in Kota Bahru to drink beer publicly will not challenge the constitutionally of the new Kelantan regulations restricting the public sale and consumption of alcohol affecting non-Muslims, but also to make the point that the opposition is not because of any championing of alcoholism and drunkards, but to decisions on questions like alcohol in accordance with their own religious teachings.