Speech by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, to the DAPSY Publicity Bureau at DAP PJ Hqrs on Friday, April 27, 1990 at 8 p.m.
Strong DAP denial that it is responsible for the spate of reports in Chinese press today that Liong Sik had given a distorted version of MCA Central Committee meeting and about Kim Sai’s pledge not to contest for the post of MCA President
There was a spate of reports in the Chinese press today that the MCA President, Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik, had given a distorted version of the MCA Central Committee meeting on Tuesday, 24th April 1990 when he told a Press Conference that MCA Deputy President, Datuk Lee Kim Sai, had given the MCA Central Committee a pledge not to contest for the post of MCA President in the July MCA party elections.
The reports described Lee Kim Sai, who was also present at the Press Conference, as ‘fixed’ by Liong Sik, as he could not contradict Liong Sik there and then, although no consensus was reached at the MCA Central Committee about contests for MCA party posts and he himself had not given a pledge not to contest for the post of MCA President.
I want to quickly and firmly issue a strong denial that the DAP is responsible for these spate of reports in the Chinese press, as it has become the habit of Liong Sik to use the DAP as a scapegoat, and accuse the DAP of fomenting party split in the MCA.
Everyone would know that the sources of this spate of stories could have emanated only from the Kim Sai faction.
It is an open secret that the Liong Sik and Kim Sai factions are now at cross-purposes and have a lot of differences.
One of the differences is over Liong Sik’s declaration of support for Dr. Lim Chong Eu as Gerakan Chief Minister early this month.
Apart from antagonizing Gerakan President, Datuk Dr Lim Keng Yaik, who at that time was orchestrating a Gerakan game-plan to remove Chong Eu as Penang Chief Minister or reduce him to a mere figure-head, Liong Sik also aroused disaffection in the Kim Sai faction, which is opposed to such open MCA support for Chong Eu.
Liong Sik declared open support for Chong Eu, doing it twice in two consecutive days in case it was not noticed for the first time, not to serve MCA interest, but purely to please the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, who had told a Chinese press interview that he supported Chong Eu to continue as Penang Chief Minister.
Liong Sik was thinking of his own personal interest, for by ingratiating himself with Dr. Mahathir, he is preparing for the day when he has to have a showdown with Kim Sai in the MCA for the leadership stakes.
The Kim Sai faction is opposed to such open MCA support for Chong Eu, on the ground that this was not in the long-term interest of MCA. It was only the previous year that the MCA top leadership went to Penang to talk about the MCA’s plan to recapture the Penang State Government. Suddenly, all such boasts had been punctured by the MCA President himself.
The Kim Sai faction is of the view that for the long-term interest of MCA in Penang, it would not be too upset if Gerakan should fail in the next general elections. For it is only when Gerakan has lost the Penang Chief Ministership, that MCA can make a claim for the Penang Chief Ministership in the subsequent general elections, for MCA can then claim that as Gerakan has lost the Penang State Government, it would now be up to MCA to regain it back for the Barisan Nasional.
I want to advice both Liong Sik and Kim Sai factions in the MCA that if they want to fight, don’t drag in the DAP as the scapegoat and cause of their power struggle.