by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Kota Melaka, Lim Kit Siang, in Malacca on Monday, 31.12.1984:
The DAP congratulates Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan for his Tambunan by-election victory in Sabah on Saturday, when he polled 3,685 votes defeating the Berjaya candidate, Roger Ongkili, who polled a miserable 637 votes.
Datuk Harris Salleh, the Berjaya Sabah Chief Minister, should take heed of the warning of the people of Sabah in the by-election that his policies are unacceptable to the people of Sabah, and that high-handed actions and pressure could only intimidate and silence the people for a time, but not forever.
The people of Sabah had shown that when the right time comes, they are prepared to vote out a government which had lost their support, as happened to Tun Mustapha’s government in 1976. The same thing could happen to Datuk Harris Salleh in the next general elections either 1985 or 1986.
This is time for the Sabah Chief Minister to change the style and substance of the Berjaya policies – the most important of which is for Berjaya leaders to demonstrate that they are serious in stamping out graft and corruption in Sabah, including those involving top Berjaya leaders. Secondly, the Sabah government must demonstrate that it respects the rule of law and stop abusing its powers by committing unlawful and unconstitutional actions. Thirdly, it must take firm steps to resolve the grave socio-economic and law-and-order problem created by the Filipino refugees and illegal Indonesian immigrants who comprise about 25 per cent of the Sabah population. Finally, the Berjaya State Government must stop its policies which trample on the cultural and religious sensitivities of all ethnic groups in Sabah.
DAP calls for immediatenalt in the production of Asian Rare Earth Sdn. Bhd. in view of the shocking finding by Japanese radiation expert.
A Japanese radiation genetic expert, Prof. Sadao Ichikawa, has made the shocking discovery that the radiation level at the temporary radioactive waste dump next to the Sian Rare Earth factory was 800 times above the permissible level.
Professor Ichikawa said that if expectant mothers were exposed to the radiation level at the temporary storage dump at the factory site for four days, they would face a higher risk of giving birth to deformed babies.
This shocking revelation shows how slipshod, careless and irresponsible had been the relevant government authorities in permitting radioactive industries from operating without taking the necessary precautionary measures to protect human beings and the environment.
In view of the shocking findings of Prof. Ichikawa, the DAP calls on the Cabinet at its next meeting on Wednesday on 2nd Janury to order the immediate closure of the Asian Rare Earth Sdn. Bhd. until proper safety measures which comply with international standards are taken, not only with regard to the temporary storage of the radioactive waste near the factory, but also with regard to this production process with regard to safety standards for the factory workers.