by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Thursday, 27th February 1992:
DAP hopes that Tsu Koon will honour his State Assembly assurance on the reinstatement of the two demolished Thean Teik dwellings so that there is no need for the DAP Assemblymen to move a motion of censure against him
Yesterday, I announced at a press conference that the DAP Assemblymen will move a motion of censure against the Penang Chief Minister, Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, if he fails to honour his undertaking given in the Penang State Assembly on December 14 that the MPPP would rebuild the two demolished Thean Teik Estate dwellings belonging to Teoh Chong Poh after construction of a sewerage project.
DAP Assemblymen are fully conscious and aware that to move a motion of censure against the Penang Chief Minister is a very serious matter, and it gives the DAP Assemblymen no pleasure to move such a motion of censure against Dr. Koh Tsu Koon as Penang Chief Minister.
However, Dr. Koh will be giving the DAP Assemblymen no choice, for it the Chief Minister’s assurance and undertaking in the Penang Assembly can be dishonoured, then there is no point in having a Penang Assembly at all as the debates, and in particular the speeches and assurances of the Penang Chief Minister would have no meaning whatsoever.
This is why I urge Dr. Koh Tsu Koon to act immediately to ensure that the MPPP start rebuilding and reinstating the two Thean Teik dwellings to their original condition, as he had told the Penang Assembly on December 14.
Penang DAP hopes that Dr. Koh Tsu Koon will honour his State Assembly undertaking on the rebuilding of the two Thean Teik dwellings so that there is no need for the DAP Assemblymen to move a motion of censure against him.
Tan Ghim Hwa should ask the first MPPP meeting he is attending next Thursday to give an ultimatum to the MPPP Secretary, Lakhbir Singh, to reinstate the two Thean Teik Estate dwellings immediately or face disciplinary action for the MPPP scandal
Te issue of the reinstatement of the two Thean Teik dwellings demolished by the MPPP to lay sewage pipes under the houses does not affect the integrity and credibility of the Penang Chief Minister alone, but also involves the integrity and credibility of the MPPP itself. It is in fact a MPPP scandal.
I understand that the MPPP Council will be meeting next Thursday, 5th March 1992, and this will be the first working meeting of the new MPPP President, Tan Ghim Hwa.
Tan Ghim Hwa should ask the MPPP Council next Thursday to give an ultimatum of the MPPP Secretary, Lakhbir Singh, to reinstate the two Thean Teik Estate dwellings immediately or face disciplinary action for the scandal.
Lakhbir Singh must be reminded of the MPPP assurance given to Teoh Chong Poh in its letter dated 2nd October 1991 that that the sewerage construction works under the Street Drainage and Building Act 1972 were expected to last for two months and the reinstatement of the dwellings to their original condition was expected to be started within one month of completion of the sewerage construction.
The two swellings were demolished on 11th November 1991, and the sewage works were completed by the end of 1991. By the MPPP written undertaking of 2nd October, 1991, the MPPP should have started to rebuild and reinstate the two dwellings latest by January 31, 1991.
The MPPP failed to do this. Instead, on Feb. 15, 1992, through its agents, the MPPP demolished the remaining structures of one of the dwellings as well as 70 acquariums for rearing tropical fish, 8 tanks for storing fresh water for the acquariums and 23 cement pig-sty pens.
The MPPP’s shocking handling of the two Thean Teik demolished dwellings, openly dishonouring its undertakings and assurances given in black-and-white, is one of the best examples of what the Gerakan President, Datuk Dr. Lim Keng Yaik, had described as the ‘decadence and impotence’ of the MPPP.
Tan Ghim Hwa was especially appointed to clean up such MPPP ‘decadence and impotence’, and he had himself said that he would wield the ‘big axe’ to clean up the MPPP. DAP hopes that the new MPPP President will have the courage to announce after the MPPP Council meeting next Thursday that the first target of the ‘big axe’ of MPPP reform is the MPPP Secretary, Lakhbir Singh, and that Lakhbir Singh had been directed to immediately reinstate the two Thean Teik demolished dwellings or face disciplinary action for the scandal.