Call on Tan Koon Swan not to be a ‘political fugitive’ and attend the Sept. 9 meeting to hear the evidence of the close collaboration between his MCA faction and Malacca Chief Minister on the Bukit China leveling issue

Speech by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and Mp for Kota Melaka, Lim Kit Siang, at the Negri Sembilan Save Bukit China Committee meeting held at Temiang DAP Branch, Seremban on Thursday, 6th Sept. 1984 at 7.30 p.m.

Call on Tan Koon Swan not to be a ‘political fugitive’ and attend the Sept. 9 meeting to hear the evidence of the close collaboration between his MCA faction and Malacca Chief Minister on the Bukit China leveling issue

I have specially arranged for a meeting to be held at the Malacca DAP premises on Sept. 9 night at 8 p.m. to produce evidence to disprove the denial by Tan Koon Swan that his MCA Malacca and develop 80 per cent of Bukit China, in utter disregard of the historic, religious, cultural, political and citizenship rights of the Chinese Community.

Although thee Tan koon Swan MCA faction realizes that public opinion, especially in Chinese community, is against it for its Bukit China stand, it has not abandoned its close co-operation with the Malacca Chief Minister.

I am very baffled as to why Tan Koon Swan should confront the Chinese community on the Bukit China issue, for as a result of the numerous speeches, statements and activities of the Tan Koon Swan MCA Malacca faction on Bukit China, Tan Koon Swan’s political standing and reputation has been gravely damaged. As a direct consequence, Neo Yee Pan, who suffered adverse Chinese public opinion, in the Neo-Tan power struggle in MCA, gained in political reputation – thanks to Tan Koon Swan’ faction’s Bukit China stand.

I had advised Tan Koon Swan not to attend the so-called phantom 500-people dinner organized by Chan Teck Chan and Ng Peng Huay in Malacca on August 8,warning him that before ‘he became the Chinese saviour, he would have became the Chinese saviour, he would have become Chinese sinner’. This has been proved 100 per cent correct.

I am giving him an opportunity to regain his political reputation which had been spoilt by the Bukit China stand of his MCA faction. He should attend the Sept. 9 meeting of the DAP, listen to the avidence of the close collaboration between his MCA Malacca faction and the Malacca faction and the Malacca Chief Minister on Bukit China issue, and publicly repudiate and dissociate himself from all the statements, speeches, activities of his MCA Malacca faction. By doing this, he would be able to demonstrate that he has leadership qualities of ‘Great Purpose Destroy Close Ones’.

I am therefore offering Tan Koon Swan an opportunity to redeem himself, and to regain political respect of the Chinese community.

I want to advise offering Tan Koon Swan that he must know who are his friends and who are his enemiew, for the enemies inside one’s camp are more dangerous than the enemies outside. In fact, with the Malacca leaders like Chan Teck Chan and Ng Peng Huay in his MCA faction, he need no enemies!

Whether Tan Koon Swan attends or not, the Sept. 9 date at Malacca DAP premises to list out the evidence of the close so-operation between the Tan Koon Swan MCA faction and the Malacca Chief Minister to level and develop 80 per cent of Bukit China into a housing and commercial centre will go on as scheduled, and members of the public are invited to attend.