Press Statement by DAP Organising Secretary and Parliamentary Candidate for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, on 21st April 1969:
Mr. Koh Kim Leng is at liberty to institute whatever legal proceedings, but I will not withdraw a single word that I have said
Mr. Koh Kim Leng and Alliance politician are very fond of issuing threats because they do not have reason, argument and facts to match the DAP’s reasons and arguments.
Mr. Koh Kim Leng has again resorted to threats against me. In a statement yesterday, Mr.Koh Kim Leng accused me of distorting his speech at the Alliance rally at Hereen Street, where he said that the Chinese will lose their citizenship if they vote for the opposition.
Mr. Koh now explains that what he meant was that if he and the Alliance candidates lose, and the PMIP wins, then the Chinese will lose their citizenship.
This is Mr. Koh’s present explanation of his speech made at Hereen Street on April 14. I reject his explanation. I am satisfied that Mr. Koh Kim Leng has blatantly threatened the Chinese in Malaysia that if they don’t vote for the Alliance and himself, they stand to lose their citizenship. I have said that this is downright blackmail, and a most shameful act, and I stand by every word I have said.
Mr. Koh Kim Leng has threatened that unless I withdraw what I have said on this issue, he will institute legal proceedings.
Mr. Koh Kim Leng is at liberty to institute whatever legal proceeding he want, but I will not withdraw a single word, because when we in the DAP speak, we weigh every word and sentence, and we don’t behave like Alliance leaders and politicians, who say the most foolish things which they live to regret later.
I had said that I believe that Mr. Koh Kim Leng is fully capable of advocating the removal citizenship of Chinese if he loses his election, because in 1960, he was one of the authors of the Abdul Rahman Talib Report, which is the Alliance master plan to destroy Chinese schools, language and culture. My views are unchanged.