Speech by DAP Secretary-General and MP for Kota Melaka, Lim Kit Siang, at the Kepong DAP thanksgiving party to DAP Kepong election workers held at Kepong on Wednesday, 5.5.1982 at 8 p.m.
The harm the Tung Chiau Chung has caused to the DAP in the 1982 general elections is not only by their last-minute joining of Gerakan and Barisan, but by their preparedness to tell lies and character-assassinate DAP leaders
I thank the people of Kepong for their support of the DAP and the election of Dr. Tan Seng Giaw as their Member of Parliament, despite the high-powered and multi-million dollar campaign to distort what was a battle between the DAP and the Barisan Nasional into a battle between the DAP and Tung Chiau Chung.
Although the DAP won in Kepong, we lost narrowly in Tanjong. Furthermore, in the last few days before polling day, Tung Chiau Chung sent out word throughout the country to destroy the DAP, leading to our unexpected losses in hitherto DAP strongholds because of the unexpectedness of the nation-wide Tung Chiau Chung attack, and the shortness of time for the DAP to counter the Tung Chiau Chung campaign to allow the truth to be known by the people.
I do not think the Tung Chiau Chung officials have anything to rejoice from the DAP’s major defeats in Peninsular Malaysia, for the real victors are neither the Tung Chiau Chung, the MCA or the Gerakan, but the UMNO as could be seen by the new Cabinet line-up or the State Executive Council line-ups.
I do not propose to re-open old wounds, as despite the most uncalled for attacks on the DAP and its leaders by Tung Chiau Chung individuals and officials during the general elections, the DAP would not be deflected from our commitment to defend, protect and promote Chinese education in Malaysia ever since our formation in 1966.
But it is necessary to understand the present and the future that party members, supporters and the public should understand that the harm the Tung Chiau Chung had caused to the DAP in the 1982 general elections is not only by their last-minute joining of the Gerakan and the Barisan Nasional, but even more serious, by the preparedness of some Tung Chiau Chung leaders to tell lies to justify their ‘collision’ with the DAP, and also to character-assassinate DAP leaders and in particular myself to show their ‘innocence’.
It is only now, weeks after the April 22 general elections, that I realise the magnitude of the campaign of lies and character-assassination sponsored by certain Tung Chiau Chung individuals against the DAP leaders, in particular myself, throughout the country.
This is a typical letter I receive from DAP supporters from various parts of the country, from far south in Johore to far north in Penang:
“Dear Mr. Lim Kit Siang,
I write this note with no other intention but to let you know, the personal attacks (lies) that are being spread about you which are most unfavourable to you.
It is spread that you ‘UMNO’s special agent’ – with the objective of dividing the unity of Chinese, especially with regard to the present case where ‘you agreed with Tung Chiau Chung not to contest Kepong and Tanjong but last minute sent out candidates’ etc.
Is this spread by rumour-mongers? But rumors are the most fearsome, especially for the illiterate and unknowledgeable womenfolk, one spread ten, ten spread hundred, as if they are true, causing some to believe.”
In the last 16 years of the DAP struggle, neither the DAP nor I myself had done anything which had failed the Tung Chiau Chung or Chinese education.
If within three days of assuring me that the Tung Chiau Chung had decided not to join any political party, and giving me an assurance that the Tung Chiau Chung would help the DAP against the Barisan parties of MCA and Gerakan, the Tung Chiau Chung individuals decided to take a complete turn-about and join the Gerakan, then let the people decide on the merits of the arguments whether the decision of the Tung Chiau Chung individuals were right or wrong, whether in Kepong and Tanjong, in the battle between the DAP and the Barisan now backed with Tung Chiau Chung individuals, the people should support the Rocket or the Daching.
Let the political choice be put to the people on the merits or demerits of the respective cases of the DAP or the Barisan Nasional, but not on lies and character-assassination.
For the record, I want to take this opportunity to put the facts straights about the Kepong and Tanjong contests.
Firstly, it is completely untrue that I had agreed that DAP allow Tung Chiau Chung individuals to contest in Kepong and Tanjong, but in the last minute, I went back on my word, and sent ‘strong’ candidates to stand in these two constituencies. It is also completely untrue that I was to field Dr. Tan Seng Giaw in Petaling, but in the last minute, decide to cause a ‘collision’ with the Kepong Tung Chiau Chung individual by switching Dr. Tan to Kepong. There is one top Tung Chiau Chung official, whom I had always respected, and still respect, who knows from his personal knowledge that there is completely no basis or truth in this story spread by Tung Chiau Chung individuals with the view:
1. to justify the action of Tung Chiau Chung individuals to collide with DAP candidates in Kepong and Tanjong, for it is the Tung Chiau Chung individuals who ‘collided’ with DAP candidates, rather than DAP ‘colliding’ with Tung Chiau Chung individuals;
2. to character-assassinate my character and political reputation by picturing me as ‘using Chinese to control Chinese’ for the interests of the Malays.
If such lies and untruths are spread by DAP traitors and turncoats who are prepared to resort to the most despicable of lies to put themselves in the best possible light, I am not surprised. But I must say that I was and am still shocked that Tung Chiau Chung officials, whom I had all along respected for their rectitude and character should tell such lies and spread such character attacks against me without any basis whatsoever.
In the 1982 general elections, although the Tung Chiau Chung individuals and leaders spoke of their ambition to ‘three unite into one’ for the interest of Chinese education, were in fact spearheading a ‘three attack one’ strategy, where the Tung Chiau Chung united with MCA and Gerakan to attack the DAP.
The harm caused by lies and the character attacks on DAP leaders especially myself throughout the country are serious. I would ask the Tung Chiau Chung leaders concerned who had been responsible for spreading such lies and character-attacks against me to restore my reputation and character!