Speech by DAP Secretary- General and Member of Parliament for Kota Melaka, At the
2nd DAP MPs and state Assemblymen’s Seminar held at 63-D Jalan Sultan, Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, 10th August 1075 at 10 a.m.
DAP calls on Tun Razak to direct the National Bureau on Investigations (NBI) to investigate and act on the allegations of corruptions made by Berjaya leaders, who were for mere Sabah State Minister, about corrupt practices by the Tun Mustapha government.
“Following the rift between Tun Mustapha and the faction which has formed the Berjaya, Berjaya leaders, several of whom were Sabah State Ministers, and the president, Tun Fuad, was in fact, the Yang di-Pertua, had on several occasion made serious allegations of corruption by Tun Mistapha and his government.
These allegations of corruption were made by Tun Mustapha’s former Ministors, who should know what they are talking about, having been in the inside of things, so to say.
Corruption is the biggest curse in Malaysian public life, for it undermines the integrity of the public service and put government services in the marketplace, purchasable with every bribe.
Since such high-level allegations of corruptions had been made by ex-Sabah State Ministers, I call on the Prime Minister, Tun Razak, to direct the NBI to investigate all the allegations of corruptions that the Berjaya leaders had made against the Tun Mustapha government, and to ask for all the evidence of corruption and other malpractices in Berjaya hands, so that the Central Government can show to the people and the world that it is really intent of ridding corruption.
Now that the Berjaya has been accepted into the National Front, The allegations of the Berjaya leaders should be given even more serious consideration, unless the Berjaya leaders were to renege and withdraw all the allegations of corruption hurled against Tun Mustapha.
Dato Hussein Onn, when opening the UMNO Youth Conference in May, pledged that the government would act fearlessly against corruption, regardless of the position, status, wealth or power of the person concerned. These are his actual words:
“Penyelewengan juga berbentuk penglibatan setengah ahli politik dalam perbuatan rasuah. Penyelewengan juga berlaku dalam bantuan Kerajaan kepada rakyat. Penyelewengan seperti ini jika tidak dibasmi boleh terus- menerus berlaku dan menjadi perkara yang kekal. Tugas penting bagi kita ialah mempastikan bahawa penyelewengan ini dibongkar dan didedahkan tanpa mingira siapa melakukannya- si kancil atau naga.”
The government’s sincerity and earnestness in its fight against corruption is now on public test. I will be writing to the Prime Minister, Tun Razak, to ask him whether he would direct the NBI to make such a investigation.
DAP calls on de-emphasis on bumiputra and non-bumiputras and more stress on the development of a Malaysian consciousness and identity which transcends race or religion.
My attention was drawn to the speech by the former Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, at the Lions’ Club of George Town installation on July 27.
He said: “No country can be safe while its people are divided. We tried to work on the theme of Malaysian-mindedness, but with so much emphasis on bumiputras and non-bumiputras, the people began to think again of their racial origins.
“No effort to achieve Malaysian-mindedness can fully be successful unless there is less thought and talk on one’ racial object of loyalty.”
The Ministers and National Front leaders should give more thought to this advice by the former Prime Minister, for without a de-emphasis on the differences between bumiputras and non-bumiputras and stress on the development of a Malaysian consciousness and identity, the task of national unity can not be achieved.
It is in this context that National Front leaders should refrain from playing to the gallery and try to win applause and support of primeval emotions.
For instance, a top National Front leader recently said that the multi-million dollar Petaling Jaya-Kuala Lumpur highway project now under construction would only benefit the people in the area, most of whom were non-Malaya. He further said that the telephone service in Malay areas was inadequate, whereas Kuala Lumpur, which is already well served, would soon be given additional lines.
There can be many reactions, along the same race-based lines, but which can only exacerbate further the problems of racial unity. National front and government leaders should therefore set an example and refrain from such race-baiting pronouncements.
DAP wants more particulars about Rukun Tegangga
The government has announced that it propose to introduce Rukun Tetangga. Although details have not been received, or released, the MCA, as is its practice, has given blanket support for this measure.
The Rukun Tetangga, clearly a direct outcome of the government’s evaluation of post-Vietnam developments, must be fully explained to the people and not forced on them. The DAP wants full particulars about the Rukun Tetangga to be released, and the political parties and public organizations consulted before its implementation.