Press Conference Statement by parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Pantai Remis, Perak on Wednesday, May 23, 1990 at 10 a.m.
DAP reply to Gerakan’s posters ‘Lim Kit Siang, What You Have To Say?’ is Another 2,000 copies of ‘Keng Yaik – You Are A Liar’ in Pantai Remis
On 12th May, 1990, DAP picked Bruas as the first area to put up the DAP poster with the words: ‘Keng Yaik – You Are A Liar’, when Gerakan President, Datuk Dr. Lim Keng Yaik, was unable to produce proof to substantiate his allegations about DAP-PAS secret meeting in Jakarta, and yet refused to admit that he had lied.
‘I decided to print the poster ‘Keng Yaik -You Are A Liar’ to force Keng Yaik to sue me in court, so that I have an opportunity to compel Keng Yaik to produce proof of his lies about the Jakarta secret meeting, or be publicly proved to be a liar.
At first, Keng Yaik dismissed the ‘Keng Yaik – You Are A Liar’ posters, and the Gerakan Vice president, Datuk Alex Lee, said the DAP posters were a waste of money.
Last week Keng Yaik’s Political Secretary and Gerakan Bureau Director, Dr. Kang Eng Seng, came to Pantai Remis and challenge me to produce within 48 hours a Gerakan member to produce proof that ‘Keng Yaik is the most corrupt Minister in Malaysia, and uses his overseas trips to put corruption money in unnumbered Swiss bank accounts.
However, when I asked Keng Yaik whether Dr. Kang was authorised by him to issue this 48-hour challenge, Keng Yaik dare not respond.
Shortly after Dr. Kang’s visit to Pantai Remis, the Gerakan put up posters with the words ‘Lim Kit Siang, What You Have To Say?’.
I find this Gerakan poster very silly. Of course, I have many things to say. On May 12, DAP put up 1,000 copies of ‘Keng Yaik – You Are A Liar’ in Bruas. Now, in reply to the Gerakan poster ‘Lim Kit Siang, What You Have To Say?’, the DAP is putting up another 2,000 copies of ‘Keng Yaik – You Are A Liar’ in Bruas.
Dr. Kang has become a liability to Keng Yaik. I had said that Dr. Kang has become the ‘rat running across the street’ in Gerakan for being blamed for the Jakarta secret talks fiasco, which has resulted in the collapse of the moral leadership of Keng Yaik in the Gerakan and outside.
Leaders like Keng Yaik who are responsible for UMNO’s refusal to respect the legitimate political, economic and educational aspirations of the Malaysian Chinese
I do not know whether it is Dr. Kang who advised Keng Yaik to attack the DAP for being ‘chauvinist’. I challenge Keng Yaik to state the reasons why he accuse the DAP of being ‘chauvinistic’.
Is it because during the Tien Hou Temple meeting of leader of political parties and Chinese organisations in October 1987 over the appointment of those unversed in Mandarin to senior positions in Chinese primary schools, all the top Gerakan leaders stayed away from the meeting?
Is it because the DAP is strongly opposed to the abolition of the Boards of Management of the 432 Chinese primary schools, as proposed by the Education Bill 1990?
Is it because of the DAP’s role in saving Bukit China, and criticising the Gerakan State Government of Penang for reducing the 118-ft Kuan Yin statue at Kek Lok Si, Penang to 83 ft after officcial approval had been given for the original plan?
Keng Yaik is not just attacking the DAP when he accuses the DAP of being chauvinistic, but he is attacking the millions of Malaysian Chinese who support the DAP for being ‘chauvinistic’.
It is because there are irresponsible political leaders like Keng Yaik who keep telling UMNO leaders that the legitimate political, economic, educational, cultural and religious aspirations of the Malaysian Chinese as represented by the DAP are ‘chauvinistic’, that gives UMNO leaders the excuse not to change its policies.
Keng Yaik is now in panic and looking for a safe seat for next general elections
Keng Yaik is now in panic about the next general elections. Personally, he is looking for a safe seat apart from Bruas for the next general elections. For Gerakan, he has doubts whether it could retain its Penang State Government.
In fact, Keng Yaik also has doubts about the ability of UMNO Baru and Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed to win in the next general elections. This is why Keng Yaik could say in the Penang Gerakan Assembly meeting last Sunday that with DAP’s support, PAS could win 25 MPs in the next general elections.
What Kong Yaik did not say is that if PAS can win 25 Parliamentary seats in the next general elections, then Semangat 46 can probably win 40 MPs, leaving UMNO Baru with only about 20 MPs – which means that Keng Yaik does not rule out the possibility that UMNO Baru will lose power in the next general elections.
In any event, DAP has made it very clear that we do not have co-operation, understanding or any form of relationship with PAS, but Keng Yaik become the second political leader to play the Chinese operatic role of the woodbeater who could only shout two-line refrains about DAP and PAS.
Call on Keng Yaik to get Fisheries Act amended before next general elections
Instead of going into a panic about the next general elections, Keng Yaik should spend more time to solve the problems of the people in his constituency.
I find it very shocking that although he is the MP for Pantai.
I call on Keng Yaik to get the Fisheries Act amended before the next general elections, and I pledge to give Keng Yaik full support in Parliament on this issue.
If a Minister cannot resolve the problems of the fishermen in Pantai Remis, what is the use of a Minister?
Gerakan leaders should investigate corruption and malpractices inside the Party
Finally, I want to advise the Gerakan leaders to investigate into corruption and malpractices inside the Party.
Datuk Alex Lee said that the 20,000 posters of ‘Keng Yaik -¬You Are A Liar’ will cost $30,000. In actual fact, these posters cost the DAP $3,000.
If Gerakan has to pay $30,000 for 20,000 posters which the DAP pays for $3,000, then clearly there must be corruption and malpractices inside the Gerakan.
I am giving a tip to the Gerakan so that the party could clean up the corruption and malpractices in the party.