Press Statement by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Thursday, July 19, 1990:
DAP calls on the Federal Government to adopt the children of all the victims of the Mina tunnel tragedy and be responsible for their education, up to university level
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Datuk Dr. Yusof Nor, has returned from Saudi Arabia with the disturbing news that the final death toll of the Malaysian pilgrims in the al-Muaissem tragedy at Mina on July 2 may be as high as 155.
Equally disturbing is the Saudi Arabian Government’s version putting the blame on the Malaysian pilgrims, and in particular at the high-risk site at Mina housing the Malaysian pilgrims. If this is the case, then the Pilgrims Fund and Management Board (Tabong Haji) should also bear responsibility for the Mina Tunnel tragedy.
There should be a proper inquiry into the Mina tragedy, one by the Saudi Arabian Government, and another by the Malaysian authorities themselves.
The people of Malaysia are entitled to a full report from the Malaysian Government as to the real cause of the Mina tragedy. DAP suggests that the Malaysian Government should appoint a Committee of Inquiry to inquire into the Mina tunnel tragedy which had killed as many as 155 Malaysian pilgrims, its actual causes, whether Tabong Haji had been negligent, and to recommend measures to prevent an occurrence.
DAP also calls on the Malaysian Government to adopt the children of all the victims of the Mina tunnel tragedy and be responsible for their education, up to university level.