by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Monday, 7th June 1993:
If Dr. Ibrahim Saad could so easily get ‘confused’, then it raises the question as to his suitability for high political office
Penang Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Ibrahim Saad, said yesterday that the Penang DAP proposal to increase the 33 state assembly constituencies in Penang State to 39 is ‘confusing’.
He said that the move showed that the DAP leaders were fickle-minded and undecided on the number of seats.
If Dr. Ibrahim Saad could so easily get ‘confused’, then it raises the question as to his suitability for high political office although he wields the real power in the Penang State Government today.
I want to ask Dr. Ibrahim Saad a straightforward question: Was he making a honest statement when he claims to be ‘confused’ by the DAP Penang private member’s bill to amend the Penang State Constitution to increase six state assembly seats from 33 to 39 and a DAP motion asking Parliament to amend the Federal Constitution to increase two parliamentary seats from 11 to 13.
Dr. Ibrahim Saad may not want to answer this question, but if he refuses to respond to it, then he would have to justify his statement that he was ‘confused’ by the Penang DAP proposal in the forthcoming Penang State Assembly meeting.
This is because there is no excuse or justification for Dr. Ibrahim Saad to claim that he was ‘confused’ as the Penang DAP Assembly had taken a very clear and consistent stand in the Penang State Assembly on this issue.
If despite the clear and consistent stand of the Penang DAP on the issue of the increase of state assembly and parliamentary seats in Penang, Dr. Ibrahim Saad could still be ‘confused’, then he has to explain clearly and satisfactorily the cause of his ‘confusion’!
Would Penang State Government support the DAP proposal to increase six state assembly seats in Penang?
We understand that Dr. Koh Tsu Koon and Dr. Ibrahim Saad are still ‘smarting’ from the public humiliation last November when the Barisan Nasional Government’s proposal to amend the Penang State Constitution to increase three state assembly seats without any increase of Parliamentary seats was defeated for failure to get the requisite two-thirds majority.
The defeat of the Penang State Constitution Amendment Bill 1992 was right and proper, as the Penang Chief Minister had failed to uphold the interests of the people of Penang as they are entitled in the redelineation of constituencies to at least two additional Parliamentary and six State Assembly constituencies.
Dr. Koh Tsu Koon and Dr. Ibrahim Saad should stop ‘harping’ about the defeat of the 1992 Constitution Amendment Bill for failure to get two-thirds majority support from the DAP, but should be forward-looking and do what is right for the people and state of Penang.
The issue now is whether the Penang Barisan Nasional State Government would support the Penang DAP proposal to increase six new State Assembly seats and two new Parliamentary seats for Penang, and support the DAP’s private member’s bill and motion to give effect to such increase.
Or will Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, Dr. Ibrahim Saad the other Barisan Nasional State Excos and Assemblymen play the “spoilers’ role” by destroying or sabotaging the Penang DAP’s effort to secure for Penang six additional State Assembly seats and two additional parliamentary constituencies.
Can Ibrahim Saad given an assurance that the Barisan Nasional State Government would not sabotage a fullest and frankest debate on the DAP private member’s bill to amend the State Constitution to increase six seats?
Dr. Ibrahim Saad said that the Barisan Nasional State Government and its backbenchers were prepared to debate the DAP private member’s bill to amend the State Constitution for an increase of state constituencies.
I hope Dr. Ibrahim is again making a honest statement. Can Dr. Ibrahim give an assurance that there would be a fullest and frankest debate in the forthcoming Penang State Assembly on the DAP private member’s bill to amend the State Constitution, and that the State Government would not find some way to sabotage it?