Statement by DAP Organising Secretary and Parliamentary Candidate for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a Press Conference at 5, Jonker Street, Malacca on Thursday, 17th April 1969 at 9.30a.m.
Before and during every general election, Alliance and MCA leaders went around the country and announced that they were or going to give money for temples, schools, community halls, etc. in an attempt to buy votes with public funds.
But whether these monies were actually given out, nobody knows. I want to mention one case in Malacca in 1964 general elections.
The Finance Minister, Tun Tan Siew Sin, announced in the press before the 1964 general elections that he had $645,850 for distribution to 47 schools. This was reported in the local press, and also in Sin Chew Jit Poh of March 2, 1964. One of the schools which were listed to have received $10,000 was the Pay Nam Chinese School in Pantai Belimbing.
But the $10,000 was never distributed. Former member of the Pay Nam School Board of Management came and saw me yesterday, and complained that they did not receive the money, and that although they saw Tun Tan Siew Sin and Dato Tang Cheng Swee after the general elections for the money, they were unsuccessful. They complained bitterly that some of their village people even thought that the School Board of Management had pocketed the $10,000 themselves.
What I and the public want to know is: What happened to the $10,000 which was announced to have been given out by Tun Tan Siew Sin to the Pay Nam Chinese School in Pantai Belimbing on March 2, 1969. Has someone in the Alliance spent it for himself?
I want the Anti-Corruption Agency to investigate into this matter, and let the people know the results in the next few days. I think this is clearly within the capability of the Anti-Corruption Agency, since in one case, where I asked the Director of Anti-Corruption Agency to investigate into whether Mr. Khaw Kai Boh was in 1963, 1964 and 1965 a director of a private firm as well as a Cabinet Minister, the Agency was able to complete its investigations within one hour!
In this election, Alliance leaders are doing the same trick: Going around the different areas in the constituency and promising tens thousands dollars of public funds for temples, school buildings, community halls, in return for support of Alliance candidates. The implication is if the Alliance wins, they will be given the money for building temples, schools, community halls, etc. But if the Alliance fails, then the people will not get a single cent. This is unashamed vote-buying, and I want the Anti-Corruption Agency to investigate into this also.