By Parliamentary opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Wednesday, 26th September 1990:
Kim Sai has become a ‘political fugitive’ a fourth time
MCA Deputy President Datuk Lee Kim Sai had acted true to his reputation – a born ‘political fugitive’ who always backs down and turns tail at the most crucial moment from a challenge which had originated from him in the first instance.
Kim Sai said that in issuing the invitation to dinner, I was meddling in MCA affairs and trying to divert attention as the DAP was facing an internal problem in Federal territory.
Kim Sai has forgotten that he was responsible for the diner invitation, because on 14th September 1990, he publicly asked me to show proof to substantiate my statement that ‘of all the MCA Presidents, Ling Liong Sik is the best for the DAP’.
Can Kim Sai explain why he asked me to show proof, if he though that I was meddling in internal MCA affairs? Could it be that at that time, Kim Sai wanted me to ‘meddle’ in MCA affairs? I want also to put the record straight: I have no intention of meddling in internal MCA affairs. What I said was in connection with the DAP, hence my statement that ‘of all the MCA Presidents, Liong Sik is the best for the DAP.’
It was in response to Kim Sai’s challenge to produce proof that I sent him the dinner invitation.
It is pathetic that after declaring that he was prepared to come for the dinner at Shangrila Hotel tonight, Kim Sai should use the MCA presidential Council as an excuse that he is not allowed to keep the dinner appointment.
In doing so, Kim Sai is putting the whole blame on the MCA President, Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik, who controlled the Presidential Council, for vetoing his having dinner with me.
Be that as it may, Kim Sai has become the ‘political fugitive’ the fourth time – the previous three occasions being his flight to Australia to escape Operation Lalang Internal Security Act arrest in October 1987, his backing down after challenging DAP Deputy Secretary-General Sdr. Lee Lam Thye to resign their respective parliamentary seats and contests in Seputeh in a by-election, and most recently, his surrender in the contest for the post MCA President in July after a dinner at Shangrilla Hotel.
As Kim Sai has become a ‘political fugitive’ for a fourth time, I am canceling the Shangrila Hotel dinner appointment.