No PM, we ARE a secular state: Karpal
Published: Aug 6, 2007 4:41 AM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 10:21 AM
A veteran lawyer-politician has rebutted Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's statement that Malaysia is neither a secular nor a theocratic state.
A veteran lawyer-politician has rebutted Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's statement that Malaysia is neither a secular nor a theocratic state.
"There is no doubt that Malaysia is a secular state," DAP chairperson Karpal Singh said in a media statement in respond to the premier's remarks.
According to Karpal, the views that Malaysia is a secular state were of those from the former prime ministers Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Hussein Onn.
"This was also the view of a five-man bench of the supreme court which unanimously ruled as far back as Feb 29, 1988 as follows, 'we have to set aside our personal feelings because the law in this country is what it is today, secular law...'", added the opposition politician.
Against constitution
Karpal also argued that the Federal Constitution - the supreme law of the land - declared Malaysia as a secular state with Islam as the official religion as provided under Article 3 (1).
"The framers of the constitution intended Malaysia to be a secular state and not an Islamic state. Any person or authority which publicly states that Malaysia is an Islamic and not a secular state contradicts the provisions of Article 3(1)," he said.
Karpal also pointed out that Abdullah's stand on the matter was contradictory with his deputy, Najib Abdul Razak who recently declared that Malaysia has never been a secular state.
Abdullah's remark was reportedly made during a mass gathering held in Penang over the weekend.
Although news reports did not state in what context Abdullah made the stand, it was however clear that his remarks were made following his deputy's 'declaration' that did not go down well among the non-Muslim community.
Last Friday, one of the nine non-Muslim cabinet ministers, Bernard Dompok became the first to break rank by stating that he disagreed with the notion that Malaysia is an Islamic state.
"There is no doubt that Malaysia is a secular state," DAP chairperson Karpal Singh said in a media statement in respond to the premier's remarks. According to Karpal, the views that Malaysia is a secular state were of those from the former prime ministers Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Hussein Onn.
"This was also the view of a five-man bench of the supreme court which unanimously ruled as far back as Feb 29, 1988 as follows, 'we have to set aside our personal feelings because the law in this country is what it is today, secular law...'", added the opposition politician.
Against constitution
Karpal also argued that the Federal Constitution - the supreme law of the land - declared Malaysia as a secular state with Islam as the official religion as provided under Article 3 (1).
"The framers of the constitution intended Malaysia to be a secular state and not an Islamic state. Any person or authority which publicly states that Malaysia is an Islamic and not a secular state contradicts the provisions of Article 3(1)," he said.
Karpal also pointed out that Abdullah's stand on the matter was contradictory with his deputy, Najib Abdul Razak who recently declared that Malaysia has never been a secular state. Abdullah's remark was reportedly made during a mass gathering held in Penang over the weekend.
Although news reports did not state in what context Abdullah made the stand, it was however clear that his remarks were made following his deputy's 'declaration' that did not go down well among the non-Muslim community.
Last Friday, one of the nine non-Muslim cabinet ministers, Bernard Dompok became the first to break rank by stating that he disagreed with the notion that Malaysia is an Islamic state.
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