Press Conference Statement (Part 2) by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, after filing defamation suit in the Kuala Lumpur High Court against MCA President, Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik on Thursday, August 26, 1993 at 11a.m.
Two more challenges to Liong Sik to be accepted within a week
Yesterday MCA President, Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik, said he was prepared to face my defamation suit against him. What else can Liong Sik say?
The noteworthy is why Liong Sik did not make such a statement immediately after I had announced last Friday that I had instructed my lawyers to institute legal proceedings against Liong Sik?
Clearly, Liong Sik was hoping that I would not follow throught with my legal action. When I announced this Tuesday that I have instructed my lawyers to file the suit in the Kuala Lumpur High Court today, Liong Sik was left with no choice but to appear to be very ‘brave’ to declare that he was prepared to face my defamation suit – as if he had any other option.
Sixth challenge to Liong Sik to be accepted within a week: Agreement to pay RM500,000 as compensation to charitable or educational purposes if his lawyers responsible for delay to prevent a full hearing in three months or at the earliest possible date
If Liong Sik is so ‘brave’ to face my defamation action, then I am issuing my sixth challenge to him to be accepted within a week: for Liong Sik and my lawyers to sign an agreement that both sides would agree to expedite the full hearing of my defamation case by the Kuala Lumpur High Court within three months from today, and any party which is responsible for delaying tactics in putting off the full hearing of the case within three months or at the earliest possible date would pay compensation of RM500,000 for education or charity purposes to be named by the receipient.
Liong Sik said that he would continue to question the DAP Save Bukit China One-Person One-Dollar Fund for the Bukit China beatification plan and should return the money to donars.
MCA leadership putting pressure on Cheng Hoon Teng to reject the proceeds from the DAP Save Bukit fund for beatification purpose to give MCA some political mileage
Liong Sik’s statement has confirmed reports I have received that the MCA leadership has applied intense pressure on the Bukit China trustees, Cheng Hoon Teng, to return the DAP’s bank draft for over $33,000 from the DAP Save Bukit China Fund for beautification of Bukit China to give MCA some political mileage.
Last month, the DAP sent the bank draft to Cheng Hoon Teng, but the bank draft was returned to the DAP on the ground that the payee was wrongly written as ‘Cheng Hoon teng trustees’. We have since corrected the error and sent a new bank draft to Cheng Hoon Teng.
Ten years ago, Liong Sik teamed up with the Malacca Chief Minister, Tan Sri Rahim Tamby Cik in the conspiracy to ‘demolish’ Bukit China. Now, he is trying yo sabotage the beautification of Bukit China plans by putting pressure on Cheng Hoon Teng to play MCA’s game – which can only result in public opinion going against not only MCA, but also the Cheng Hoon Teng.
I am confident that the people can see clearly who is playing the ‘good’ and who is playing the ‘evil’ role in the entire Bukit China issue, from 1983 up to now!
When I accepted Liong Sik’s challenge in early July to announce details of the DAP Save-Bukit china One-Person One-Dollar Fund within a week by inviting him to Malacca on July 10 to ‘Lim Kit Siang-Ling Liong Sik mutual questioning’, I was prepared to answer all his questions about the DAP Save-Bukit China Fund – including about bank statements going back to 1984.
However, Liong Sik dared not turn up, for he is afraid of being asked about the many MCA financial scandals, including his Bolton Finance scandal.
Seventh challenge: A ‘Lim Kit Siang-Ling Liong Sik mutual questioning’ any time and anywhere, including MCA Headquarters
However, I am giving Liong Sik another opportunity if he is really so interested in knowing the facts about the DAP Save-Bukit China One-Person One-Dollar Fund.
This is my seventh challenge to Liong Sik for him to accept within a week: I am prepared to organize a ‘Lim Kit Siang-Ling Liong Sik mutual questioning session’ anytime and anywhere – including MCA headquarters – for him to raise any questions he want about the DAP Save_bukit China One Person One-Dollar Fund. Of course, Liong Sik must be prepared to answer questions about the numerous MCA financial scandals and his Bolton Finance scandal.
It is most pathetic that Liong Sik needs to orchestrate the support from all the other MCA leaders to give him courage to take me on. This shows that he is aware that he might have made the third greatest political misjudgment and mistake as MCA President in the past two months.