By Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Kota Melaka, Lim Kit Siang, in Malacca on Sunday, January 26.1.1986:
DAP will announce a 15-member National Committee to launch a nation-wide campaign to expose Tan Koon Swan and MCA’s ‘politics-economics’ scandal if the 24-hour ultimatum is ignored
The DAP will tomorrow announce a 15-member National Committee to launch a nation-wide campaign to expose Tan Koon Swan and MCA’s ‘politics-economics’ scandal if the DAP’s 24-hour ultimatum to the MCA to stop all its baseless, malicious and irresponsible attacks on the DAP and myself for being responsible for Tan Koon Swan’s arrest in Singapore is ignored.
The DAP holds the new MCA leadership responsible for every statement, poster, banner put out by any MCA leader, branch or member, or MCA-controlled media, in attempting to try to discredit the DAP leaders for Tan Koon Swan’s corporate crime charges in Singapore.
Datuk Dr.Ling Liong Sik and Datuk Tee Kim Sai can pretend that they are not aware or responsible for the various demonstrations against Singapore for Tan Koon Swan’s arrest, but they must not think the people in Malaysia outside are so naïve as to believe them. Similarly, the DAP will not believe or accept any denial of their part that they cannot be held responsible for the baseless and irresponsible attacks on the DAP and myself, for if they cannot exercise control and discipline over their own party, then they should resign from the top party posts.
I am shocked that the MCA through one of its front organisations in Perak is calling on the Malaysian workers and students in Singapore to demonstrate and protest against the Singapore government. Will the MCA or the various companies in Malaysia owned or controlled by MCA leaders like Tan koon Swan, Kee Yong Wee and others guarantee to employ these Malaysian workers in Singapore should they lose their jobs in Singapore after protesting and demonstrating in Singapore against Tan Koon Swan’s arrest. Furthermore, it is open knowledge that many MCA leaders have children in Singapore studying in schools, showing no confidence in the Malaysian national education system. Would these children of MCA leaders in Singapore schools take the lead and hold demonstrations in Singapore to condemn Lee Kuan Ye for ‘persecuting’ Tan Koon Swan?
The DAP’s counter-attack on MCA in our self-defence for the lies trying to implicate the DAP leaders for Tan Koon Swan’s arrest in Singapore would be launched immediately on the expiry of the 24-hour ultimatum, and would include not only, but also counter-demonstrations.
Many Malaysians in Johore Bahru have contacted me and expressed their condemnation of the MCA’s immature, irrational and irresponsible actions in trying to create tensions in Malaysia-Singapore relations, for this has affected the business and livelihood of Malaysians in Johore Bahru. I would suggest to the MCA that if they want to continue such irresponsible demonstrations, they should set up a MCA fund to compensate Malaysians, particularly in Johore Bahru for their financial lesson as a result of these mindless MCA demonstrations.