by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Saturday, January 25, 1992:
MCA and Gerakan national leaders are only good at shouting from a long instance away but dare not go to Kelantan to meet the Kelantan Mentri Besar or produce proof of ‘persecution’ and ‘oppression’ of Chinese in Kelantan
For the past few months, hardly a day passes without a speech or statement by the MCA and Gerakan on the PAS Kelantan State Government and its Islamisation policies and measures.
However, MCA and Gerakan national leaders are only good at shouting from a long distance away, but dare not go to Kelantan to meet the Kelantan Mentri Besar, Haji Nik Aziz Nik Mat, or to produce proof of ‘persecution’ and ‘oppression’ of Chinese in Kelantan.
It is most comical that the MCA and Gerakan are now demanding that the meeting between the DAP delegation and the Kelantan Mentri Besar should be made public so that the MCA and Gerakan could be present.
I had in fact invited the MCA President, Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik and the Gerakan President, Datuk Dr. Lim Keng Yaik, to jointly visit Kelantan and meet the Mentri Besar, and if they had accepted my invitation, MCA and Gerakan will not only know everything about the DAP meeting with the Mentri Besar, but would also be able to participate in the meeting.
I will therefore call on the various units in the MCA and the Gerakan which are demanding that the meeting between the DAP delegation and the Kelantan Mentri Besar be made public to allow the Keng Yaik to persuade them to accept my invitation to them, which is open up to the last minute.
My meeting with the Kelantan Menteri Besar is fixed at the Mentri Besar’s Office in Kota Bahru on Tuesday, 28th January 1992 at 2.30 p.m. All Liong Sik and Keng Yaik need to do is to turn up at the Mentri Besar’s Office before 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Call on Liong Sik and Keng Yaik to be more positive and constructive and not just shout from a distance.
If they are sincere in wanting to help the Chinese in Kelantan, I urge Liong Sik and Keng Yaik to be more positive and constructive and not be so negative as only to shout from a distance.
The MCA and Gerakan leaders can learn from the DAP. For instance DAP leaders are prepared to meet UMNO, MCA, Gerakan or MIC Ministers, Mentri Besar and Chief Ministers if they are unhappy over government policies and measures, and this is why I had several meetings with the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed to let him know the aspirations of the people and the stand of the DAP on a variety of Barisan National policies and measures.
Similarly, Liong Sik and Keng Yaik must be prepared to meet the Kelantan Mentri Besar if they are serious about their complaints or protests about the policies and measures of the Kelantan State Government and not just playing a ‘political game’.
I am surprised for instance that when the Kelantan Deputy Mentri Besar, Haji Rozali Isobak, in April last year proposed the establishment of a Special Inquiry Committee to investigate as to whether non-Muslims had been “persecuted” or ‘ oppressed’ by the Kelantan State Government, and suggesting that Liong Sik and Keng Yaik be members of this Special Inquiry Committee, Liong Sik and Keng Yaik dare not accept.
This is unbelievable especially as the Kelantan Deputy Mentri Besar made the proposal following the public furore created by Liong Sik himself after his allegation that the Chinese in Kelantan were suffering ‘persecution’ and oppression’.
If Dr. Mahathir had offered to establish a Committee of Inquiry with full powers to investigate into the corruption, abuses of power and malpractices in the Barisan Nasional Government, and suggested that I be a member of this Inquiry Committee, I would have no hesitation in accepting the appointment.
This is the difference between DAP which is serious about our responsibility to the people and country and always adopt a positive and constructive attitude although we are in the Opposition from the MCA and Gerakan leaders who are so negative and irresponsible.