by DAP Secretary-General, Parliamentary Candidate for Tanjong and State Assembly Candidate for Kampong Kolam, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Thursday, 31.7.1986:
Welcome assurances from top police and army officers that there will be firm security on polling day
I welcome the assurances given by top police and army officers that there will be full and firm security on polling day to ensure peace and harmony during the voting process.
The latest assurance come from the Army Chief Jeneral Datuk Seri Hashim Mohamed Ali and said that the army was fully prepared to prevent any attempt to disrupt the elections.
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr.Mahathir Mohamed, should sto going round the country trying to blackmail voters not to vote the Opposition, by conjuring up the May 13 fear. This will be the most irresponsible act of any political leader in a multi-racial society, and must be unanimously condemned by all Malaysian public opinion as the actions of the country’s Public Enemy No.1.
Call on DAP supporters to stay away from ‘Denounce Lim Kit Siang meetings’ planned by certain Chinese educationists who want to help Dr.Mahathir win a landslide victory
The DAP will fully co-operate with the authorities to ensure that the Sunday’s elections will be conducted peacefully and orderly throughout the country.
Ipoh’s clash on Tuesday, 29.7.1986 where certain Chinese educationists organised a ‘Denounce Lim Kit Siang Meeting’, using highly provocative, defamatory and malicious attacks on me, can only make ‘close ones grieve while foes rejoice’.
The Ipoh incideng is a blot for the Malaysian Chinese in the 1986 general elections, and I urge all DAP supporters not to be provoked by irresponsible elements among certain Chinese educationists who want to turn the general elections upside down to help Dr.Mahathir win the 1986 general elections.
Already, Dr.Mahathir Mohamed and Ghaffar Baba, have declared that they are now confident of a landslide victory on August 3-probably like the 1982 general elections. Mahathir and Ghaffar are so confident because of the great contribution of these Chinese educationists, who want the people to teach Lim Kit Siang a lesson, rather than to teach Dr.Mahathir a lesson.
The action and decision of these Chinese educationists are a great blot in Chinese political history. In the most crucial election battle of the Malaysian Chinese in history for 2 years, where the question of the entire nation-building policies be judges, these Chinese educationists have decided to blur the issue, distract attention, by concentrating their fire by declaring their ambition to kill me politically in Tanjong.
I thank my supporters, not only in Perak Penang but throughout the country, who are very angry at this destructive role of these Chinese educationists. I fear that if these Chinese educationists do not stop their action before it is too late, there would be an irreparable split in Chinese society, which again will make ‘Close ones grieve and foes rejoice’.
I understand their anger and frustration that there are certain Chinese educationists who are bent on destroying not only me, but the once-ina-lifetime opportunity of the Malaysian Chinese to reverse the UMNO’s undemocratic, unjust and unequal policies in 29 years.
The last 7 days since Nomination had been the most painful week in my life, where by 20 years of political struggle, sacrifice and commitment had been described as 20 years of betrayal of the rights, status and future of the Malaysian Chinese!
But I agree that this is no justification for impulsive action, although it is no easy for anyone not to react when there is the greatest provocation, especially when they are based on lies, malice and venom.
I apologise for the actions of the DAP supporters in Ipoh on Tuesday night, although I fully understand why they could not control themselves under extreme provocation. There is indeed a limit to patience and tolerance, but I urge DAP supporters to exercise supreme and even patience and tolerance under the provocation of certain Chinese educationists.
I had come to Tanjong to spearhead the Penang and Malaysian political movement for self-help and reversal of 29 years of unfair national policies, to teach Dr.Mahathir a lesson in democracy and multi-racial politics. But even before could start the flight with Dr.Mahathir, to re-establi the political, economic, educational, economic, and religious rights of the people, especially the five million Malaysian Chinese- I find myself stabbed in the back, by, of all people, certain Chinese educationists.
I find myself, on the one hand fighting with hands behind my back,(because of unjust election rules), mouth sealed (because of press censorship), against Dr.Mahathir, with a deep knife behind my back, stabbed by the Chinese educationists, the 1,000-strong ‘Finish Lim Kit Siang’ army, 66 societies in Tanjong!
No wonder Dr.Mahathir is so pleased and happy, and now is talking about a ‘landslide election victory’. He has even come to Tanjong with an bamper of $4 million to buy my ‘political head’.
I earnestly hope that in the next two days, the people, and particular the Malaysian Chinese, can focus their attention the real issues at stake in the 1986 general election: the Barisan Nasional policies of nation building. The choice is either to fully accept, or express objection and demand formulation of new policies.
The 1986 general elections is the last defence line of our rights. If this final defence line is breached, with another landslide victory for Barisan, then the future is very bleak.