Speech (Part 2) by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, at a Negri Sembilan DAP State Committee Chinese New Year dinner held at Seremban on Sunday, 23rd February 1992 at 8 p.m.
A new constitutional crisis over the Rulers will gravely undermine the investment climate of the country
The UMNO Secretary-General, Datuk Mohamed Rahmat, has said that an UMNO Supreme Council delegation led by the three UMNO Vice-Presidents would seek an audience with the Rulers this week before the Conference of Rulers to be held on 26th and 27th of February, 1992.
UMNO leaders should realise that a new constitutional crisis over the Rulers, as happened in 1983 and 1984, will gravely undermine the investment climate in the country, particularly at a time when Malaysian was facing a great reduction in foreign investments because of unfavourable international economic factors.
It is not only foreign investors, but also domestic investors, who are watching very closely the latest controversy over the relationship between the Istana and UMNO government leaders, and the trend to resort to ‘Istana-bashing’ when UMNO stalwarts are disappointed over awards of contracts, as happened in the case of the Trengganu branch of the Malaysian Bumiputra Contractors’ Association recently.
There has been talk of further constitutional amendments on the position of the Rulers to be presented to Parliament which is to meet on April 27.
DAP calls on the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, to be heedful of the investment climate of Malaysia and to ensure that there will be no repetition of the Constitutional Crisis 0f 1983 and 1984.
DAP proposes a Constitutional Review Commission
Amendments to the Malaysian Constitution should not be regarded as a matter of party politics of UMNO, but a matter which concerns all Malaysians.
For this reason, DAP also proposes a Constitutional Review Commission to review and make recommendations on amendments to the Constitution, which should not be confined to the position of the /rulers as now suggested by UMNO, but should also deal with other provisions concerning the position of Parliament, the Judiciary and the Executive, so as to restore or provide for the democratic checks and balances necessary for the functioning of a meaningful parliamentary democracy. This will also help to avert another constitutional crisis.