Merdeka Social Contract

To political parties, professional bodies, civic / religious / human rights organizations, non-governmental organisations, Members of Parliament and fellow Malaysians:

Below is a letter from Sdr Lim Kit Siang, our Parliament Opposition leader to invite you to a Parliamentary Roundtable to reaffirm Merdeka social contract and Malaysia Agreement on the occasion of 50th Merdeka anniversary that Malaysia is a secular state with Islam as official religion and not an Islamic state.

Venue: Parliament (Bilik Taklimat)
Date: Friday, 10th August 2007
Time: 10 am

Many NGOs and NGIs have confirmed their attendance, so we hope to see you there as well ;).

Dear Malaysian,

When Malaya achieved independence in 1957 and Malaysia was formed six years later in 1963, a national social compact was reached that the nation shall be a secular state with Islam as the official religion and not an Islamic State.

The Merdeka social contract and Malaysia Agreement that Malaysia is a secular state with Islam as the official religion and not an Islamic state was given expression in the Federal Constitution, articulated by the founding fathers of the nation including the first three Prime Ministers, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak and Tun Hussein and given full recognition by the highest court in the land.

For over four decades, there was national consensus of the secular character of Malaysian nation-building which was only disrupted in the past six years, raising questions about the national commitment to protect and sustain this fundamental cornerstone of Malaysian nation-building.

A Parliamentary Roundtable to reaffirm that the Merdeka social contract and the Malaysia Agreement that the nation is a secular state with Islam as the official religion and not an Islamic state is being convened in Parliament on Friday, 10th August 2007 at 10 am. (Bilik Taklimat)

This is to send out a clear and unequivocal message on the occasion of the 50th Merdeka anniversary of the nation in 2007 that the Merdeka social contract and the Malaysia Agreement that Malaysia is a secular state with Islam as the official religion and not an Islamic state must continue to be the bedrock of the Malaysian nation-building process.

You are invited to the Parliamentary Roundtable to endorse the reaffirmation of the Merdeka social contract and Malaysia Agreement that Malaysia is a secular state with Islam as the official religion and not an Islamic state.

I apologise for the shortness of time. Kindly inform my office of your ability to accept this invitation or your representative to the Parliamentary Roundtable by Wednesday, 8th August 2007. (Contact person Lau Weng San 03-79578022).

Thank you.

Yours sincerely,


Lim Kit Siang
Opposition Leader,
Parliament

Please pass the word around, we hope to see you there!