Press Conference Statement by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Monday, 30th April 1990 at 11 a.m.
Kit Siang invites Keng Yaik to sue him for slander and defamation as he is going to publicly call him a ‘liar’ at the Chan She Shu Yuen in Kuala Lumpur on May 3, 1990 at 11 a.m.
I am calling this Press Conference to spell out the ‘Serious consequences’ I had said that the Gerakan President, Datuk Dr. Lim Keng Yaik, would face should he stay away from the Chan She Shu Yuen in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, May 3, 1990 at 11 a.m. for him to produce his proof to substantiate his allegation of DAP-PAS ‘secret meeting’ in Jakarta on April 16, 1990.
Keng Yaik must have through he could make a wild, baseless and utterly untrue allegation about a secret meeting between the DAP and PAS in Jakarta, and that there is nothing the DAP could not about it. Keng Yaik would have created the damage by shaking public confidence in the DAP, for all we could do is to deny, which would seem weak and unconvincing as compared to his allegation, considering his status as a Federal Minister, and especially as he would also proclaim that he had all the evidence of such a secret meeting between the DAP and PAS in Jakarta, but he would only produce them slowly at the time of his own choosing (which is not at all!).
Keng Yaik had also decided to add on to the damage by claiming that the information and evidence came from ‘a high-ranking DAP leader’ allegedly dissatisfied with the DAP leadership which was secretary co-operation with PAS.
Keng Yaik through he has concocted a ‘perfect lie’ which could not be convincingly rebutted
Keng Yaik and his Gerakan brain-trust, namely the Gerakan Deputy President, Kerk Choo Ting, the Gerakan National Youth leader, Dr. Koh Tsu Koon and the Director of Gerakan Publicity Bureau, Dr. Kang Chin Seng, thought they had concocted a ‘perfect lie’. Just like a ‘prefect murder’ which could not be resolved, so the Gerakan’s ‘perfect lie’ is one which could not be convincingly rebutted.
Keng Yaik and his Gerakan ‘brains’ thought that with this ‘prefect life’, DAP leaders could only make their denials and tear their hair in frustration and anger, but doubts had been planted in the public minds about the DAP-PAS secret meeting in Jakarta.
But Keng Yaik, Choo Ting, Tsu Koon and Chin Seng should know the Chinese saying about ‘one mountain higher than another mountain’.
If Keng Yaik, Choo Ting, Tsu Koon and Chin Seng think that Keng Yaik can make such a big lie, and nothing could be done about it, they are surely mistaken, and had over-estimated their own ability.
On May 3, 1990, DAP National Publicity Secretary and MP for Seputeh, Liew Ah Kim, DAPSY National Chairman and MP for Kota Melaka, Lim Guan Eng, DAP National Organising Secretary and Malacca Assemblyman for Durian Daun, Kerk Kim Hock and I would wait for Keng Yaik, Choo Ting, Tsu Koon and Chin Seng and give them an opportunity to produce their proof to substantiate the serious allegation of DAP-PAS secret meeting in Jakarta, as well as other allegations Keng Yaik had been making in the past one week.
Keng Yaik said that his reliable source is a ‘high-ranking DAP leader’. He is welcome to bring this ‘high-ranking DAP leader’ to the may 13 date to produce the proof.
Even if Keng Yaik cannot produce the proof to substantiate his allegations, I would advise him to be present, or at least ensure that he is represented by his lawyers.
This is because I am going to publicly call him a ‘liar’ and invite him to sue me for slander and defamation, for I will openly and publicly bring his reputation and character into public ridicule, contempt and odium.
Keng Yaik or his lawyers are allowed to bring wither their tape-recorders or videotape recorders to record the proceeding to enable them to initiate defamation proceedings.
To call another person a ‘liar’ is a serious defamation of character, and entitles the person so defamed to institute defamation proceedings and claim for damages to compensate for the attack on reputation.
Let me tell Keng Yaik that if he calls me a ‘liar’, I would have no hesitation in instituting defamation proceedings against him. Let him name the place, date and time where he wants to publicly call me a liar, and my lawyers and I will be there, and we will immediately slap defamation suit on him.
I have asked Karpal Singh to be present at Chan She Shu Yuen on May 3 as my lawyer.
If Keng Yaik does not produce his proof on May 3, or does not sue me after I had publicly called him a ‘liar’ giving him an opportunity to defend his reputation in court, then he would be the first Minister and political lawyer in the country who bear the eternal stamp of a ‘liar’.