by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Saturday, 10th March 1990:
Vijandran should cut shourt his leave and return to the Dewan Rakyat before it adjourns on 16th March to fully explain his role in the pornographic videotapes scandal
Last Wednesday, MIC President and Works Minister, Datuk Seri Samy Vellu, said he had asked D.P. Vijandran to return from his overseas vacation in two weeks, take his seat as Kapar MP and “fight all those fellows who fixed him up.”
The hour-long question-and-answer session by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, last Thursday has changed the whole scenario for D.P. Vijandran.
This is because in his answer to supplementary questions, Dr. Mahathir had virtually described Vijandran as a ‘pervert’. This section of the question-and-answer from the Hansard of last Thursday is most revealing and most damaging:
“Tuan Karpal Singh: Tuan Speaker, Yang Amat Berhormat Perdana Menteri ada cakap dia tidak tengok video-video lucah ini dan gambar-gambar lucah itu, tetapi adakah beliau dapat tahu daripada Peguan Negara apa yang terkandung didalam video-video lucah ini………….
Perdana Menteri : Tuan Yang di-Pertua, untuk hendak jawab soalan ini saya terpaksalah tanya daripada Peguan Negara dan Peguam Negara punya laporan ialah dia tidak tengok gambar ini, dia dapat laporan daripada pihak Polis dan pihak Polis berkata adalah gambar yang melibatkan orang-orang tertentu…..
Tuan Lim Kit Siang : Siapa?
Perdana Menteri: …………dalam ini. Orang itu mengambil gambar dirinya untuk dia hendak tengok sendiri. (ketawa). Saya tidak tahu. (Ketawa).
Tuan Lim Kit Siang: Sebelas video tapes, seorng sahaja? (Ketawa).
Perdana Menteri: Ada terlibat orang lain, tetapi orang itu dia ambil untuk kepentingan dia, dia hendak tengok, kadang-kadang ada setengah orang (Ketawa), dia miring sedikit barangkali dia suka berdiri deadpan cermin bogel, takkan kita hendak pergi tangkap dia, lebih sedikit daripada itu dia beli Polaroid camera atau sebagainya, dia ambil gambar diri dia. Sekarang ini sudah ada video, dahulu hendak kena hantar pergi ke kedai suruh basuh (cuci), jadi orang lain tengok, sekarang ini tidak payah orang lain tengok.
Jadi sekarang ini tidak payah orang lain tengok. Jadi ada orang yang kadang-kadang mungkin perverted sedikit, dia buat kerja macam itu untuk dirinya, dia hendak tengok. Jadi soalnya apakah ini lucah atau tidak lucahnya, kalau dia ambil gambarnya sendiri. Kalau Ahli Yang Berhormat dari Tanjong bogel, ambil gambar dirinya (Ketawa0, lepas itu dia simpan dalam peti besinya, bukan untuk orang lain, untuk dia tengok, kerana bila dia tengok, dia seronok sedikit (Ketawa).
Tuan Lim Kit Siang : Perdan Menteri sudah mengakui bahawa dalam 11 buah video-video tape itu bukan seorang, ada orang-orang lain. Apakah pihak Polis menentukan sama ada gambar itu, videotape itu di mana orang-orang yang lain ada terlibat dibuat dengan secara sukarela atau tanpa pegetahuan orang-orang yang lain dan kalau begitu, bukankah ini satu jenayah yang sudah dilakukan?
Perdana Menteri: Tuan Yang di-Pertua, itu akan diputuskan oleh pihak Mahkamah sama ada benda itu menjadi bahan yang perlu dibawa didalam Mahkamah. Tentang isi kandungannya, saya tidak hendak berbincang………..”
This passage of the question-and-answer session by the Prime Minister on the Vijandran pornographic videotapes scandal is most damaging to Vijandran, for the Prime Minister described him in the context of a ‘pervert’, ‘miring’, and what is worse, admitting that there were others who were filmed on the videotapes apart from Vijandran himself without their consent and knowledge.
Kamus Dewan’s definition of ‘miring’ is illustrated with ; ‘otak miring’ which is drfined as ‘agak gila, kurang siuman’.
Should a person who is a ‘pervert’ and ‘miring’ as described by Dr. Mahathir himself continue as MP? Is Datuk Samy Vellu going to continue to defend a MIC leader whom the Prime Minister has described as ‘pervert’ and ‘miring’?
Does Vijandran accept the Prime Minister’s description of him as ‘pervert’ and ‘miring’?
This is why I say Vijandran should not come back after two weeks to take his seat as kapar MP, as suggested by Datuk Samy Vellu, for after two weeks, the Dewan Rakyat would have adjourned – and if Parliament is dissolved before the next Parliamentary meeting, Vijandran may never sit in the Dewan Rakyat again.
Vijandran should cut shourt his leave and return immediately to take his seat in the Dewan Rakyat before the last day of Parliamentary sitting next Friday on 16th March, and fully explain his role in the Vijandran pornographic videotapes scandal.
I may not agree with Vijandran but I will defend his right to stand up in Parliament to give his side of the story.
If he thinks he would have difficulty in getting an opportunity to have his say in Parliament, he need not worry, for under Standing Order 25 on Personal Explanation, he would be entitled to present his own case, in particular as to whether he is ‘perverted’ and ‘miring’ as said by the Prime Minister.
Attorney-General and Police failed in their duties in not taking criminal action against Vijandran for video-taping other persons without their knowledge and consent
The same passage in the question-and-answer session by the Prime Minister has thrown light on a new and very disturbing facet of the handling of the Vijandran pornographic videotapes scandal.
In answer to my question whether crimes had been committed whereby persons had been filmed in the videotapes without their knowledge or consent, Dr. Mahathir said this is for the courts to decide.
This is a shocking answer, for firstly, how could the courts decide when there is no prosecution at all? It is for the police to initiate investigations submit report to the Attorney-General who decides on the prosecution.
The Police and the Attorney-General have done neither in this case, and this exposes another area of negligence and irresponsibility on the part of the Police and the Attorney-General in the handling of the Vijandran pornographic videotapes scandal.
Finally, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed should tell Malaysians how many other people were filmed on the eleven Vijandran videotapes without their knowledge or consent?