Speech by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, at a ‘Towards Tanjung 2’ Dinner in Bayan Baru, Penang on Saturday, 19th May 1990 at 8 p.m
Even the Malays are feeling that they have become second-class citizens under the unfair and undemocratic policies of the Barisan Nasional
Semangat 46 President, Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, said in his presidential address to the Semangat 46 general assembly on Friday that the 800,000 Semangat 46 members feel that they are second-class citizens under the unfair and undemocratic rule of the Barisan Nasional government.
This is why there is a need for a change. The high-handed, unfair and undemocratic policies of Dr. Mahathir Mohamed oppress all Malaysians, regardless of race.
In the early days, it is the non-Malays who feel that they are treated as second-class citizens, whether in the political, economic, educational, cultural or religious fields. But today, even the Malays are feeling that they are becoming second-class citizens as mentioned by Tengku Razaleigh yesterday.
The first-class citizens in Malaysia are the small group of top leaders in the UMNO, MCA, Gerakan, MIC and other Barisan Nasional component parties, who abuses their power and position for their self-interest, while the large masses of the ordinary Malaysians of all races have become the second-class citizens in the country!
Call on Dr. Mahathir to make a commitment that UMNO Baru will respect any general election results and would not create chaos
Tengku Razaleigh in his speech on Friday gave the pledge that as a responsible political party, Semangat 46 would accept whatever result in the general elections, and that there is no reason for it to create chaos.
I call on the Prime Minister and UMNO Baru President, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, to make a similar commitment and pledge that UMNO Baru would accept whatever result in the next general elections, and would not create chaos if UMNO Baru and the Barisan Nasional lose power.
Dr. Mahathir has claimed that he believes in parliamentary democracy. The real test of whether a person or a party believes in parliamentary democracy is whether he is prepared to accept the verdict of the people when he and his party is rejected by the people.
A few Barisan Nasional leaders have started to use tactics of fear intimidating voters that there would be chaos bloodshed if there is a change of government.
I call on Dr. Mahathir to make clear his stand whether Barisan Nasional will only accept the electoral verdict of the people when it wins, but not when it losses!
Dr. Mahathir should send out a directive to all Barisan Nasional leaders to stop using the politics of fear and bloodshed to frighten the voters from exercising their right to choose the candidate and party they want to support in the next general elections.
Keng Yaik is afraid to re-contest in Bruas and is looking for a safer parliamentary seat
The Bruas parliamentary constituency of Gerakan President, Datuk Dr. Lim Keng Yaik, is the first area the DAP chose to put up the posters with the words ‘Keng Yaik – You Are A Liar’.
The poster campaign received tremendous response and support from the people of Bruas. As a result, Keng Yaik is now very nervous about returning to Bruas to seek re-election.
The word is out that Keng Yaik is now shopping for a safer parliamentary seat than Bruas to contest in the next general elections.
The people must make clear to Keng Yaik that so long as he continues to tell lies, there can be no safe seat for him in Malaysia!