Press Conference Statement by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary – General and MP for Kota Melaka, Lim Kit Siang, in Malacca on Sunday, 14.10.1984 at 111 a.m.
DAP to announce guidelines on the forms of action which should be taken by the people to defend Bukit China from government forcible development at the 5,000 – People Gathering at Pay Fong on Oct. 30
The announcement by the Chairman of the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple Committee, Mr. Ee Yew Lin, on Friday that about 14,500 people and 553 associations and organisations representing over 294,000 people had rejected the Malacca State Government’s proposed development plan for Bukit China, should make the Malacca Chief Minister, Datuk Abdul Rahim Thamby Cik, re – think his whole Bukit China idea.
According to Mr. Ee, not a single organisation had expressed support for the State Government’s Bukit China development plan, and that there were only 73 people who expressed support for the State Government.
In view of the one – sided and overwhelming stand of the Chinese community against any forcible Government development of Bukit China, the Malacca Chief Minister must now show that he is fit to be the government leader of all races and communities in Malacca, and not just of UMNO, by respecting the democratic views of the people and also the religious, cultural and historic sensitivities of the Chinese community for whom Bukit China hold a special meaning.
Datuk Abdul Rahim Thamby Cik is now operating on the basis that his Bukit China development plan has the support of the Chinese community, in the form of the Tan Koon Swan MCA faction led by Chan Teck Chan, Ng Peng Huay and Lim Soo Kiang.
If the Malacca Chief Minister deliberately refuses to understand that the Tan Koon Swan MCA faction in Malacca, led by Chan Teck Chan, Ng Peng Huay and Lim Soo Kiang, is totally unqualified to speak on behalf of the Chinese community, then clearly, the Malacca Chief Minister is only trying to play politics to make use of Chan Teck Chan, Ng Peng Huay and Lim Soo Kiang, to justify the government’s ambitions for Bukit China.
If despite the clear – out demonstration of the will and decision of the Chinese community against any forcible government development of Bukit China, the Malacca Chief Minister does not want to abandon his Bukit China plan, then the people must be prepared to take firmer actions to preserve Bukit China and our religious, cultural, political rights and those of future generations.
At the DAP Save Bukit China 5,000 – People Gathering at Pay Fong Chinese Independent Secondary School in Malacca on Oct. 30, I will outline the guidelines of the forms of action which the people should take as another phase in the long – term struggle to defend Bukit China and our religious, cultural, political and citizenship rights.
Tan Koon Swan MCA faction has developed groups which are competing with each other to sell – out Chinese rights and interests
I am surprised to read in yesterday’s Utusan Malaysia a report that the Malacca MCA Youth would forward a plan for the development of Bukit China to the State Government soon.
This was made in a statement signed by four MCA Youth leaders of the Tan Koon Swan MCA faction, namely Ho Lin Teck, Poh Ah Tiem, Wong Ah Seng and Boon Ah Soo, claiming to represent Alor Gajah and Kota Melaka MCA Youth Divisions.
I am very surprised that the Tan Koon Swan MCA faction has developed groups who are competing with each other to sell out Chinese interest and rights.
Only a few days ago, Chan Teck Chan on behalf of the Tan Koon Swan MCA faction confessed that they were the ones who submitted the second ‘private’ development plan for Bukit China which was disclosed by the Malacca Chief Minister, Datuk Abdul Rahim Thamby Cik, on Sept. 12.
Now, the MCA Tan Koon Swan faction, through another group, is going to submit another development plan for Bukit China to the Malacca State Government which will give the Malacca Chief Minister the legitimacy to proceed with his plan to level and develop Bukit China.
I thought that the Tan Koon Swan MCA faction is fighting with the Neo Yee Pan MCA faction for Chinese rights and interests, but now, within the Tan Koon Swan MCA faction, groups have developed competing with each other as to who could sell out Chinese rights and interests more.
The four Tan Koon Swan MCA Youth leaders in their statement also said that when the development of Bukit China is carried out, the State Government should withdraw its $2 million quit rent demand from Bukit China. This means that the Tan Koon Swan MCA faction has for the first time publicly declared that they support the Chief Minister’s $ 2 million quit rent demand from Bukit China if the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple trustees oppose the government’s development plan.
The various groups in the Tan Koon Swan MCA faction, who are competing with each other to sell out Chinese rights and interests must be condemned and exposed.
The Tan Koon Swan MCA faction is organising a ‘Save the Party’ seminar in Genting Highlands this weekend. I would want to ask the Tan Koon Swan MCA faction: What is the use of their ‘Save the Party’ campaign if it is to sell out Chinese rights and interests as over Bukit China issue.
In fact, the Tan Koon Swan’s MCA faction’s Bukit China development plan, presented against the wishes of the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple Committee and the Chinese community, will be better described as ‘Sell the Chinese community’ plan. Now, the faction is producing not merely one, but two such plans.