What moral values is Anwar Ibrahim trying to instil under the new Education Act 1990 when he is going round the country telling lies and inciting inter-racial misunderstanding and hatred to serve his political ends?

by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Wednesday, 29th August 1990:

What moral values is Anwar Ibrahim trying to instil under the new Education Act 1990 when he is going round the country telling lies and inciting inter-racial misunderstanding and hatred to serve his political ends?

The Education Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, had declared that the proposed Education Act 1990 is to produce properly educated, morally upright and balanced individuals.

When he launched the Teachers Day Celebrations on June 8, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, stressed that character building is a primary aim of education.

With such public emphasis on moral education and values in the proposed Education Act 1990, Malaysians have a right to know what type of moral values Anwar Ibrahim is trying to instil in the new generation of students under the proposed new education law when he is going round the country telling lies and inciting inter-racial misun¬derstanding and hatred to serve his political ends.

Recently, Anwar Ibrahim has been excelling himself every day by telling more lies and inciting more inter-racial misunderstanding and hatred, as if his political future is in great jeopardy.

For instance, he lied two days ago when he said that I had only that day faxed my letter seeking five clarifications about the 1990 Education Act Consultative Council when the letter was hand-delivered
to his office five days earlier.

Yesterday, when speaking at Felda schemes in Trengganu, Anwar Ibrahim told more lies about the controversy over the Education Act Consultative Council, and again tried to incite inter-racial misunderstanding and hatred.

According to Utusan Malaysia, Anwar said that there are Chinese who are so outspoken in questioning government policies decided since Merdeka because they have got the support of certain Malays.

Anwar told more than one lie in his speech in Trengganu yesterday. For instance, he lied when he said that I had become the spokesman for PAS and Semangat 46 on the question of participation in the 1990 Education Act Consultative Council, alleging that PAS and Semangat 46 have, therefore sold out the ‘honour and self-respect of the Malay race’.

If this is not blatant race baiting, and incitement of inter-racial misunderstanding and hatred, I do not know what is.

What is worse, this race-baiting and incitement of inter¬racial misunderstanding and hatred is built on lies.

In the first place, I had never mentioned PAS in connection with participation in the 1990 Education Act Consultative Council as I had never met or discussed with any PAS leader on this issue, and have absolutely no idea as to the PAS stand on the Consultative Council. I challenge Anwar Ibrahim to produce proof that I had at any time or place mentioned what PAS would or would not do in connection with the Consultative Council on Education Act 1990. This is a downright lie.
I said two days ago that the DAP, Semangat 46, Parti Rakyat Malaysia and AMIPF had exchanged views about the Consultative Council on Education Act 1990, and that it is likely that the four Opposition parties would take a common stand to stay out of the Consultative Council because the government is not sincere in establishing such a Consultative Council.

How can the Education Minister be sincere in wanting a genuine Consultative Council on the Education Act 1990 when he is going round telling lies, and even inciting inter-racial misunderstanding and hatred, just to serve his own political ends?

In any event, although DAP, Semangat 46, Parti Rakyat Malaysia and AMIPF had exchanged views on the Consultative Council on the Education Act, it is up to each individual party to decide on its final stand as to whether to send representative to the Consultative Council or not.

I am also surprised by Anwar Ibrahim’s claim that he has in his possession a letter signed by a leader of PAS and Semangat 46, supporting the DAP action – which he alleged is anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Bahasa Malaysia.

I challenge Anwar Ibrahim to produce this letter, for it is time that top government leaders and Ministers should stop promoting the culture of lies and falsehoods in Malaysia, if the education system is to produce properly educated and morally upright Malaysians.

The DAP is very tempted to attend the first meeting of the Consultative Council of the Education Act 1990 next Monday to tell Anwar Ibrahim that he is not fit to be the Education Minister, or to be in charge of formulating the Education Act 1990, for by his exam¬ple, he has shown to be without the proper moral values necessary for successful nation-building in Malaysia, when he is prepared to tell lies and incite inter-racial misunderstanding and hatred to serve his personal political interests.

For the good, of the nation and the people of Malaysia, I advise Anwar Ibrahim to stop telling lies and to stop inciting inter¬racial hatred and misunderstanding.