Speech by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, JAP Secretary-General, MP for Tanjung and Assemblyman for kampong Kolam, Lim Kit Siang, at the 20th DAP Anniversary Dinner at Rantau, Negeri Sembilan, on Saturday, 27th Sepot.1986 at 9p.m.
The destiny of Malaysia must be controlled and decided not by any one race, but by all races that have made Malaysia their home.
In today’s local press ( Sin Chew Jit Poh ), former Deputy Minister and the new MP for Kok Lanas, Datuk Abdullah Ahmad, retired the correctness of his Singapore speech on August 30, which had created such a great repercussion in Malaysian politics.
Datuk Abdullah said it was his “strong desire to see my own race in control of its destiny and the destiny of the country”.
Let me tell Datuk Abdullah that the destiny of Malaysia must be controlled and decided not by any one race, but by all races who have made Malaysia their home.
The greatest danger of Datuk Abdullah’s Singapore speech, based on the theory of perpetual and increasing Malay political dominance in Malaysia, is that the destiny of Malaysia can only be controlled by one race – the Malays – lie the other races are mere ‘passengers’ with no right to determine their own destiny.
In his interview, Datuk Abdullah argued that the recent UMNO, UMNO Youth and Wanita UMNO general assemblies proves that his Singapore speech was reflective of UMNO political thinking.
I agree with Datuk Abdullah, and this is a point we must never forget: If Datuk Abdullah’s speech represented his own personal view and no other, we need not pay any attention. But Datuk Abdullah’s speech clearly reflected top UMNO leadership thinking and this is why, his thesis of Malay political dominance in Malaysia cannot go unchallenged.
I am very disappointed by MCA and Gerakan leaders, whether Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik, Datuk nLee Kim Sak, Dr. Lim Keng Yaik and Dr. Goh Cheng Teik, who have taken the common attitude that Datuk Abdullah’s speech, should be ignored as the view of one extremist!
They seem to have gone out of their way to disregard UMNO Youth leader, Anwar Ibrahim’s UMNO Youth Presidential speech which endorsed Datuk Abdullah’s Singapore theme, and spoke of Malay political dominance in Malaysia as well.
Of course, by taking the position that Datuk Abdullah’s Singgapore speech should be ignored, they can escape from taking a strong political stand. Let me tell the MCA and Gerakan leaders that if they dare not take strong political stands on important principles and questions in the country, then they should not be in politics in the first place.
I would reiterate my call to Datuk Ling Liong Sik and Dr. Lim Keng Yaik that they should not succumb to the cowardice of ignoring Datuk Abdullah’s Singapore speech, but should courageously raise the issue in the Cabinet as well as requisition an emergency meeting of the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council to discuss the matter.
Why is Datuk Dr. Ling and Dr, Lim afraid to jointly introduce a motion in the Barisan Nasional Supreme Council to censure Datuk Abdullah for his Singapore speech? Is it because Datuk Abdullah is poised to become a top UMNO leader – and there are those who think he might aim to become the No.2 in UMNO next year itself?