PETALING JAYA: The DAP top leadership has ripped into MCA for allegedly lying about its opposition to Malaysia being an Islamic country when former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad first made the declaration in 2001.

The MCA has repeatedly warned that if Pakatan Rakyat takes over the federal government, it would turn Malaysia into an Islamic state and implement the hudud law.

But the Chinese-based party found itself thrust into an uncomfortable position on Tuesday when Mahathir revealed that it had never objected to Umno’s declaration that Malaysia is an Islamic country that practises Islamic values.

The country’s longest serving prime minister made the “Islamic country” declaration on Sept 29, 2001 in a political speech at Gerakan’s national delegates conference.

Current MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek was then a Johor state executive councillor, and according to Mahathir, he (Chua) had not raised any objections.

Mahathir also admitted that MCA’s dogged focus on the hudud law was merely a scare tactic aimed at turning the Chinese community against DAP.

In a statement issued yesterday, DAP’s parliamentary leader, Lim Kit Siang, said Mahathir’s disclosure had confirmed his suspicion that MCA and Umno leaders are locked in a deal to spread lies to frighten both Chinese and Malay voters.

“My suspicion has been confirmed in a most authoritative fashion and in a manner that completely disarms and strips MCA and Umno leaders of their wiles and hypocrisies,” he said.
Lim, who is also Ipoh Timur MP, further demanded that MCA clarify its stand on the implications of the hudud law on non-Muslims if it is implemented in the country.

In a written reply to the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom said if hudud law is implemented in Malaysia, it would not have any implications on non-Muslims.

“Chua and the four MCA ministers should explain whether Jamil’s answer represents the stand of MCA in Cabinet and Barisan Nasional,” Lim challenged. “And if not, what are they going to do about it?”

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng, in his statement, criticised MCA for proclaiming morality and uprightness when it, in fact, relies on “lies, fear and hate” for survival.
“MCA is the Chinese version of Utusan Malaysia,” Guan Eng said.

“The latest lies include the outrageous claim that Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat instigated Muslim men to rape non-Muslim women who didn’t dress conservatively. This is similar to Utusan Malaysia lying that I’m anti-Malay and anti-Islam.”

In December 2011, the High Court ruled that an Utusan article entitled Kebiadapan Guan Eng had maliciously defamed him and made him and DAP appear as if they were anti-Malay and anti-Islam.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on Oct 25, 2012.