Pledge to uphold rights of all
> DAP has never been anti-Malay or anti-Islam, says Guan Eng
SHAH ALAM: The DAP has never been an anti-Malay or anti-Islam party as allegedly claimed by the Barisan Nasional (BN).
Speaking at the DAP National Conference 2016 yesterday, its secretary-general, Lim Guan Eng said the party has pledged in the past and will pledge again during its party conference 2016 to uphold the rights of all Malaysians.
Guan Eng said this includes preserving privileges of bumiputra under Article 153 of the Federal Constitution and Bahasa Melayu as the national language under Article 152.
DAP also recognises Islam as the official religion of the federation and the freedom of non-Muslims to practise their religion under Articles 3 and 11 respectively, he said.
“Are these the examples of so-called ‘extreme liberalism’ which threaten Malays and Islam?
“In Penang, the allocation for Islamic affairs doubled under a Pakatan government, and yet we are still labelled as antiIslam,” said the Penang chief minister during his opening speech.
Guan Eng said the DAP had never asked for the prime minister’s position as claimed but had always insisted on having former Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as the candidate for the post.
DAP only has 51 out of 222 seats in Parliament and it is impossible for the party to control the federal government should the Opposition emerge victorious in a general election.
He also took a swipe at MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, calling on him to resign from his Cabinet post as transport minister to save face.
Guan Eng was referring to Umno’s Jasin MP Ahmad Hamzah’s suggestion during the party’s AGM that the transport minister’s post should be held by Umno.