Speech (Part 4) by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tan Jung, Lim Kit Siang, at the DAP leadership conference at Wentworth Kuala Lumpur Hotel, Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, 18th July 1993 at 10 a.m.
MCA was completely misinformed when they lodged police report that there- were seven DAP Save Bukit China functions, for there were easily hundreds of Save Bukit China functions in 1984 and DAP was aiming to hold 1,000 Save Bukit. China functions by the end of 1985
I had given the MCA President, Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik ample opportunity to say publicly that he is not satisfied with my announcement last Saturday of the details of the DAP Save-Bukit China and Oppose $2 million-Quit Rent One-Person One-Dollar Fund, promising to arrange a second ‘Linn Kit Siang-Ling Liong Sik mutual questioning’ in Malacca within a week far him to raise any query or issues he wants.
However, Liong Sik dare not even mutter in a public that he is not satisfied with my announcement when I accepted his challenge to give details of the DAP Save-Bukit China One-Person One-Dollar Fund within a week.
Instead, Liong Sik directed his subordinates in Malacca to lodge the mischievous police report against the DAP Save-Bukit China Fund – the eighth or ninth MCA report on the same issue in the past seven years.
In the Union Paper shares scandal, there were 12 ‘culprits’ who short-sold and caused the chaos in the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange. In Malacca MCA, there are also the 12 ‘jokers’ who lodged the same MCA report for the eighth or ninth time!
I do not blame these 12 Malacca MCA ‘jokers’ when they said in their police report that the DAP had organised seven Save-Bukit China functions like dinners and tea-parties in 1984 and demanding a-n accounting on the funds raised, for they are following blindly what, they are instructed to do by the MCA Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur.
Liong Sik and the MCA headquarters have been completely misinformed to believe that the DAP organised only seven Save Bukit China functions in 1984. In fact, the DAP organised hundreds of Save Bukit China functions, whether dinners, tea-parties, ceramahs, etc. in 1984 to mobilise nation-wide opposition to the conspiracy by Malacca Chief Minister, Rahim Tamby Cik and MCA leaders like Ling. Liong Sik to demolish Bukit China.
In October 1984, I even announced that the DAP would aim to organise 1,000 Save Bukit China functions by the end of 1985!
When the 12 Malacca MCA ‘jokers’ lodged in their police report on Friday that, the DAP had organised seven Save Bukit China functions, they had omitted for instance the DAP Save-Bukit China dinner held in Gopeng on August 30, 1984, which became the subject of a nine-year legal battle when DAP National Deputy Chairman, Sdr. Karpal Singh and DAP Deputy Secretar-Genera1 Sdr. P. Patto, were charged for taking part in an illegal assembly as the Gopeng Police refused to give a police permit.
Although last week, the Kampar magistrate’s court discharged and acquitted Karpal Singh and P.Patto of the nine-year charges, the Deputy Public Prosecutor has announced that the government would appeal against the discharge and acquittal.
Liong Sik should learn to differentiate between DAP Save-Bukit China functions and the DAP Save-Bukit. China and Oppose the $2 million-Quit Rent One-Person One-Dollar Fund, details of which 1 announced in Malacca last Saturday.
The four ‘highlights’ of the DAP Save Bukit China Campaign which were aimed at mobilising public support and not to raise funds
Liong Sik should remember that in 1984, his .MCA faction was advising Rahim Tamfoy Cik how to ensure that his conspiracy to demolish Bukit China could succeed, convincing Rahim Tamby Cik that only a small number of Malaysian Chinese oppose the plan to demolish and develop Bukit China.
This -was why in October 1984 Rahim Tamby Cik told Asiaweek in an interview that Bukit China was a ‘white elephant1 in Malacca town and that only a small number of people oppose the Malacca State Government’s plan to demolish and develop Bukit China.
As a result, on 3rd October, 1984, I announced four ‘highlights ‘ of the DAP Save Bukit. China campaign to show the degree of mass support, for the campaign, namely:
1. The conclusion of the 300,000 Save-Bukit China mass signature campaign on 29th October 1984;
2. A marathon 800-mile relay from three points in the country to Bukit China in Malacca, namely Penang/Kedah, Kuantan and Johore Bahru;
3. A 10,000 People Dinner in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur on 28th October 1984; and
4. A 5,000-People Tea-Party in Malacca on 30th October 1984.
As I announced at the time, the whole objective of these four ‘highlights’ was to demonstrate that, the Save Bukit. China campaign had the mass support of the people of Malaysia.
When at the end of November, 1984, Rahim Tamby Cik on the advice of MCA leaders like Liong Sik, tried to escalate the pressure by demanding payment of 17 years’ of quit rent and arrears for Bukit. China exceeding $2 million within a week or face confiscation, DAP launched a One-Person One-Dollar campaign to mobilise protest.
The fact that we launched a One-Person One-Dollar campaign is evident that our whole objective was not to raise funds but to mobilise mass opposition to the attempt by the Malacca State Government, to confiscate Bukit. China for failure to pay $2 million quit rent.
MCA leaders will never understand the concept of One-Person One-Dollar campaigns, for they can only think of One-Person, $10,000-Dollar or One-Person $100,000-Dollar or One-Person, $1 million-Dollar activities!
Whatever public contributions were given to the DAP during the period of the Save Bukit. China campaign were grossly inadequate to cover the costs of the massive campaign. For instance, printing tot the Save-Bukit China campaign, in particular for the mass signature-petitions, exceeded RM20,000.
The DAP also paid huge sums for legal expenses and fine; in connection with DAP leaders, members and supporters who were arrested for illegal assembly and putting up Save-Bukit China posters and the case of Karpal Singh and P.Patto nine years ago is still not ended!
I will reveal at the Malacca DAP Dinner on July 31 the ulterior motive of Ling Liong Sik in re-opening the DAP Save Bukit China Fund issue
Liong Sik and the MCA leadership should know that the Save Bukit China campaign is the DAP’s gloriest chapter in our political struggle, and the most abject chapter for the MCA and in particular himself.
Why then did he re-open the whole issue, It is clear that Liong Sik has an ulterior motive to re-open the DAP Save Bukit China Fund issue, and I will reveal Liong Sik’s ulterior motive at the Malacca DAP dinner on July 31.