By Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Friday, August 6, 1993:
De-registration of USNO politically-motivated decision to help UMNO’s extension into Sabah
DAP deplores the decision by the Registrar of Societies to deregister USNO, as it is a politically-motivated decision to help UMNO’s extension into Sabah.
There is no doubt that if USNO had not entered into a coalition government with PSB in Sabah, USNO would not have suffered the present fate of deregistration.
It is unacceptable that what USNO had done would be all right if it had remained inside the Barisan Nasional, but would become immediately unacceptable and illegal when it is no more in the Barisan National. Isn’t this another example that there is one law for the government parties and another law for the others?
Whether USNO still enjoys popular support in Sabah should be decided by the people of Sabah and not by the stroke of the pen by the Registrar of Societies.
As Home Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed is the final authority for USNO to submit its appeal against its deregistration, and I call on Dr. Mahathir to allow an appeal from USNO to demonstrate that UMNO is prepared to face a fair fight against USNO in Sabah in the next Sabah state general elections and not resort to underhand means.