Statement unanimously adopted by Parliamentary Roundtable (10th August 2007) to reaffirm Merdeka social contract and Malaysia Agreement on the occasion of 50th Merdeka anniversary that Malaysia is a secular state with Islam as the religion of the Federation and not an Islamic state
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 religion of the Federation and not an Islamic State.
The Merdeka social contract and Malaysia Agreement that Malaysia is a secular state with Islam as the religion of the Federation 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.
The Parliamentary Roundtable on August 10 2007 resolves to reaffirm the Merdeka social contract and the Malaysia Agreement that the nation was conceived and shall remain a secular state with Islam as the religion of the Federation and not an Islamic state.
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 religion of the Federation and not an Islamic state must continue to be the bedrock of the Malaysian nation-building process.
We urge Malaysians regardless of race, religion, political affiliation or territory to come forward in a national campaign to reaffirm this fundamental nation-building principle as agreed in the Merdeka social contract and Malaysia Agreement.
The panel of speakers at the Parliamentary Roundtable includes:
Malek Imtiaz Sawar (HAKAM)
Karpal Singh (Chairman, DAP)
Farish Noor (academician)
Honey Tan (AWAM)
Lim Guan Eng (Secretary-General DAP)
Harcharan Singh (MCCBCHST)
Dr. Nasir Hashim, Protem Chairman, PSM
Andrew Khoo (Bar Council)