Press Statement by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary – General and MP for Kota Melaka, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Friday, Oct. 26, 1984:
DAP greatly shocked that Cabinet had no time for the BMF inquiry Committee interim report
After the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday two days ago, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, said that the Cabinet had received the first interim report on the BMF loans scandal prepared by the Ahmad Nordin inquiry committee, but discussions on the report was deferred as the Cabinet had no time to study it.
I find this most shocking, and Malaysians at large must be similarly astounded that the Cabinet had no time for the BMF inquiry committee interim report. What then has the Cabinet time for? The UMNO– PAS debate? The MCA power struggle and the escalating violence between the Neo and Tan factions?
The Ahmad Nordin committee interim report was submitted to the authorities over two months ago, and it is unthinkable that Cabinet Ministers had only received a copy each when they attended the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, for surely there must be a more efficient system to circulate beforehand important documents and papers to Cabinet Ministers before Cabinet meeting.
I hope the Prime Minister realise that his statement had fortified apprehensions among the Malaysian public that the Government want now to ‘cover up’ the BMF scandal, as reflected in the Finance Minister, Daim Zainuddin’s budget speech reference that the BMF scandal is a ‘past episode’.
This apprehension must be allayed immediately by the Cabinet at its next meeting on Wednesday in the coming week taking a firm decision on the Ahmad Nordin inquiry committee interim report and announcing the Cabinet decision to the public. At the very least, the Cabinet next Wednesday should decide to honour the government’s pledge to immediately release the interim report to the public to show that the government has nothing to hide.
I do not understand the reason for the Prime Minister’s outburst that there are groups which are trying to cause the downfall of the Malay leaders, destroy Bank Bumiputra, by connecting Bank Bumiputra with the BMF loan scandal.
The connection between Bank Bumiputra and BMF loans scandal is there for everyone to see, for if not for the BMF loans scandal, Bank Bumiputra would not show a pre – tax loss of $969 million in its 1983 accounts, and had to be bailed out by Petronas which had to spend $2.5 billion of national oil money for the purpose.
If there is anyone who is trying to ‘oust the Malay leaders’ and “destroy the Bank Bumiputra”, it is the culprits of the BMF loans scandal, for their action had cast great doubt in the integrity and credibility of Bank Bumiputra and the ‘Malay leaders.’
We in the DAP have nothing to apologise for our insistent demand for a complete and full accounting of the BMF loans scandal and that the ‘culprits’ of this heinous crime should be brought to book.
In fact the DAP and other groups and Malaysians who had shown concern for the BMF loans scandal and want the whole matter to be made public must be thanked by the Government for out patriotism and nationalism for we are in fact seeking to restore national and international confidence in the integrity and credibility of Bank Bumiputra and the ‘Malay leaders’ ( to quote Dr. Mahathir) through a comprehensive, no – holds barred expose of the real culprits of the BMF loans scandal. In this manner, top government and Bank Bumiputra officials who had no blame or responsibility for the BMF loans scandal could be publicly demonstrated as innocent and in the clear.
Save Bukit China ‘Thousand Mile Marathon Walk’ completed over one third of route
The Save Bukit China ‘Thousand Mile Marathon Walk’, which started at Alor Star on Saturday, Oct. 20, 1984, had completed over one third of the total mileage, and will enter into its second phase tomorrow, when simultaneously, the two eastern and southern routes will be launched. About 400 miles had so far been walked.
Party National Chairman, Dr. Chen Man Hin, will flag off the Kuantan – Malacca Marathon Walk to Save Bukit China at Kuantan tomorrow morning, while the Director of Political Bureau of the DAP, Dr. Tan Seng Giaw, will flag off the Johore Bahru – Malacca Save Bukit China Marathon Walk in Johore Bahru tomorrow.
The northern route will arrive at the Perak Selangor border this evening, and will together with the eastern Save Bukit China Marathon walkers, arrive at the Save Bukit China Ten – Thousand People Dinner at Cheras on Sunday, Oct. 28.
The Save Bukit China ‘Thousand – Mile Marathon Walk’ is to demonstrate the determination and commitment of the people for a long struggle if necessary for the preservation of the 500 – year – old ancient cemetry hill of Bukit China, which symbolises the historic, religious, cultural, political rights of Malaysians, in particular of the five million Malaysian Chinese.
As I said on the very first day of the Save Bukit China ‘Thousand Mile Marathon Walk’ on 20th Oct., police arrests, harassments and obstructions would not prevent the Save Bukit China ‘Thousand Mile Marathon Walk’ from being carried out or completed.
The Save Bukit China Ten – Thousand People Dinner, which is organised by a committee headed by Deputy DAP Secretary – General Lee Lam Thye, is to demonstrate the people’s support for the Bukit China cause.
Both at the Save Bukit China Ten – Thousand People Dinner in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 28 and at the 5,000 – People Save Bukit China Gathering at the Pay Fong Chinese Independent Secondary School in Malacca on Oct. 30, policy pronouncements would be made about the Bukit China struggle.
Every Malaysian Chinese who is concerned about the preservation of the Bukit China symbol of our historic, religious, cultural, political and citizenship rights should attend either the Save Bukit China Ten – Thousand Dinner in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 28 or the 5,000 – People Gathering in Malacca on Oct. 30 to demonstrate popular support and solidarity for this sacred mission.