by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Thursday, 8th February 1990:
Dr. Lim Keng Yaik should clarify whether he had demanded Vijandran’s resignation as Deputy Speaker at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting and was outvoted, or whether he never raised the issue at all
Malaysians were waiting for the outcome of the Cabinet meeting yesterday for news about the resignation of D.P. Vijandran as Deputy Speaker. Before the Cabinet meeting yesterday, Gerakan had sent out news (which became the front-page headline news of several Chinese newspaper) that the Gerakan Minister, Datuk Dr. Lim Keng Yaik, had been directed by the Gerakan Central Committee to demand for the resignation of the D.P. Vijandran as Deputy Speaker at the Cabinet meeting.
The way the Gerakan gave out this news, the impression was clearly given that the Gerakan was supremely confident that it could get D.P. Vijandran removed as Deputy Speaker yesterday.
What a let-down! As the Gerakan could let it be known that its Minister would be taking a tough stand in the Cabinet on the removal of Vijandran, why is the Gerakan now suddenly so shy about letting the people know what is the result of the Cabinet meeting on the Vijandran question?
Dr. Lim Keng Yaik owes the Malaysian public a full explanation as to whether he had demanded for the resignation of D.P. Vijandran as Deputy Speaker because of the Vijandran pornographic videotapes scandal at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting and was outvoted, or whether he never raised the issue at all.
Gerakan has clearly disappointed Malaysians about its pre-Cabinet claim that Vijandran would be removed as Deputy Speaker. However, if Dr. Lim Keng Yaik had demanded for Vijandran’s removal as Deputy Speaker at the Cabinet and had been outvoted, this is still understandable. If Dr. Lim had never demanded for Vijandran’s removal as Deputy Speaker at yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, then the Gerakan had been most irresponsible in raising high hopes among the people about Vijandran’s removal before the Cabinet meeting.
I call on the Gerakan to publicly declare its stand on the DAP’s motions submitted to the Speaker of Dewan Rakyat, Tan Sri Zahir Ismail two days ago, for the removal of Vijandran as Deputy Speaker and Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman as Attorney-General. Are the Gerakan Ministers and Members of Parliament prepared to support the DAP motions to remove Vijandran as Deputy Speaker and Tan Sri Abu Talib Othman as Attorney-General?
Call on Lee Kim Sai to explain whether he had raised the Ooi Kim Hooi issue in yesterday’s Cabinet
MCA President, Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik, and MCA Deputy President, Lee Kim Sai, also owe the people a public explanation whether they had raised in yesterday’s Cabinet meeting the issue of 15-year-old Ooi Kim Hooi, the latest addition to the lengthening list of non-Muslim minors converting to Islam without parental knowledge or consent and causing family break-ups.
Two days ago, in response to my challenge to the MCA to declare its stand on the Ooi Kim Hooi case, Lee Kim Sai said the Government should prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
After uttering such sentiments, if the MCA Ministers had not raised the Ooi Kim Hooi case in yesterday’s Cabinet, then they are just hollow and empty words.
MCA Ministers should know that there will be even more cases like the Ooi Kim Hooi incidents especially as the MCA had fully supported the passage of the Selangor Islamic Law Administration Enactment in the Selangor Assembly in July last year.
After its support for the Selangor Islamic Law Administration Enactment, which made the conversion of non-Muslim minors to Islam without parental knowledge or consent fully lawful as in the case of Ooi Kim Hooi, the MCA leaders must explain:
Firstly, what action it is taking to locate and return Ooi Kim Hooi to her parents and family;
Secondly, are the MCA Minister prepared to declare that if there is another instance of a non-Muslim minor below 18-years of age who is converted to Islam without parental knowledge or consent, leaving the family, the four MCA Ministers will resign in shame and disgrace?
Thirdly, can Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik and Lee Kim Sai guarantee the people that Section 67 and 70 of the Selangor Islamic Law Administration Enactment would be amended to restore the fundamental rights of non-Muslim parents to unfetterd control, custody and guardianship of their children, and be free to decide their religion, before the next general elections?
Is MCA, Gerakan and MIC prepared to join DAP to form a Joint Political Committee to give full support to the national campaign of the MCCBCHS to reject the imposition of Syariah on non-Muslim Malaysians?
In this connection, I also call on MCA, Gerakan and MIC to declare whether they give full support to the nation-wide campaign launched by the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikkhism (MCCBCHS) to reject the imposition of Syariah (Islamic laws) on non-Muslim Malaysians.
In particular, the MCA, Gerakan and MIC should declare whether they agree with the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikkhism that over the years, there have been more and more instances to justify the worries and concerns of non-Muslim Malaysians about real freedom of religion in Malaysia, as reflected in growing Islamisation in government policy and practice, whether in the fields of education, mass media, town planning or religious practices.
Is MCA, Gerakan and MIC prepared to join the DAP to form a Join Political Committee to give full support to the national campaign of MCCBCHS to reject the imposition of Syariah on non-Muslim Malaysians?
At present, the national campaign of the MCCBCHS has two prongs:
Firstly, a nation-wide signature campaign to request the Government to ensure that the Syariah is not imposed on non-Muslim Malaysians; and secondly, a three-day nation-wide prayers from Feb. 9 – 11 for (i) Freedom to profess and practise one’s religion; (ii) Freedom from the application of the Syariah to non-Muslim Malaysians; and (iii) Peace and understanding between peoples of the different faiths.
The DAP has declared its full support for this campaign. The MCA, Gerakan and MIC should also declare their stand.