by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Monday, 13th May 1991:
Liong Sik should stop turning and twisting and make a clear-out stand on the Malaysian Chinese Cultural City issue.
MCA President, Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik, said yesterday that he would not publicly discuss the issue of the Malaysian Chinese Cultural City as he does not want to create a ‘scare’ among the people.
A day before, the MCA President had said that he would be issuing a detailed statement when responding to the statement by the UMNO Youth Leader, Najib Tun Abdul Razak, announcing the UMNO Youth’s official stand to reject the Malaysian Chinese Cultural City proposal.
Within 24 hours, Liong Sik had suddenly discovered that his publicly discussing the issue will create a ‘scare’ among the people. If discussion of the MCA’s Malaysian Chinese Cultural City proposal will create ‘scare’ among the people, then Liong Sik is conceding to the arguments by the UMNO and UMNO Youth leaders that the MCA proposal is highly sensitive because it will destroy national unity.
Is this the first step by Liong Sik to back down and then abandon the Malaysian Chinese Cultural City proposal?
If publicly discussing the Malaysian Chinese Cultural City proposal is so highly sensitive that it will create a ‘scare’ among the people, then why did Liong Sik publicly announce it in the first place at the MCA 42nd party anniversary celebrations in March, followed by other highly-publicised announcements by Liong Sik and other MCA leaders?
Furthermore, if publicly discussing the Malaysian Chinese Cultural City issue will create a ‘scare’ among the people. Why is Liong Sik allowing other lower MCA officials to issue strong statements on the issue, which be himself is not prepared to do although he was the one who announced the proposal in the first place?
Wouldn’t statements issued by other MCA leaders on the issue create a ‘scare’ among the people?
If he is consistent, then he must direct all MCA leaders to stop issuing statements on the Malaysian Chinese Cultural City proposal so that it would not create a ‘scare’ among the people.
It is significant to note that UMNO leaders have no restraint in publicly discussing the issue. Is Liong Sik suggesting that discussion of the issue by MCA leaders will create a ‘scare’ while its discussion by UMNO leaders would not have the same effect!
Liong Sik should stop twisting and turning on the issue, and come out with a clear-cut public stand on the Malaysian Chinese Cultural City proposal.