Speech by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjong, Lim Kit Siang, at the launching of the DAP Defend Wee Choo Keong Fund at the Pudu DAP Branch premises on Friday , 21 st January 1994 at 10 am.
Call on the people to contribute to the DAP Defend Wee Choo Keong Fund to uphold the great DAP tradition to protect the public interest and explore financial improprieties and scandals
I call on the people to contribute to the DAP Defend Wee Choo Keong Fund to uphold the Great DAP tradition to protect the public interest and escape financial improperties and scandals.
This DAP Defent Wee Choo Keong Fund , initiated by the DAP Federal Territory State Committee , deserves the support of all Malaysians who appreciate and support the selfless role played by the DAP leaders over the years to be the fearless guardian of public interest.
DAP leaders have never feared the powerful , the influential and the wealthy in our defend of the rights and the interests of the ordinary Malaysians ,as one quality and spirit ask of DAP leaders is to be umbending and umcompromising in the battle for truth and justice .
This is why the DAP leaders had been detained under the Internal Security Act or prosecuted and persecuted in the courts.
Only two nights ago , we are mindedly by the Prime Minister , Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed himself as to how unhappy and upset he is whenever he recalled my five Officail Secrets Act charging in 1978 which had not resulted in my disqualified as Parliamentary Opposition leader MP and Assemblyman.
Today, two DAP Mps the MP for bukit Bintang Sdr. Wee Choo Keong and the MP for Kota Melaka ,Lim Guan Eng face the possibility of disqualification as MPs and their seats becoming vacant if in their pending cases , they receive court conviction and sentences involving fines exceeding RM 2000 or one year jail sentence.
The Public reactions of Dr, Mahathir to the out come of the corruption trial of the Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Jospeh Pairin Kitingn , where he was fined RM 1800 – RM 200 short of RM 2000 which would have meant its disqualification as Chief Minister Mp and Assemblyman – is very significant.
Was Dr. Mahathir sending a message to the judges that they shoyld impose sentences so as to disqualify opposition MPs and State assemblymen if they are convicted of offences in court?
Wee Choo Keong has been ordered to pay the first set of costs of MBF amounting to RM 54000 and the Kuala Lumpur High Court had adjourned till January 28 to impose sentences against him for contempt of court while Lim Guan Eng’s cases have been fixed for March 28 , 1994.
If Wee Choo Keong has to pay RM 54000 as the first set of costs , then when entire court proceedings had been completed , the total costs he would have to face could be several times RM 54000 and might well be in the RM 300,000 to RM 400,000 bracket.
Wee Choo Keong ‘s case is a reminder to Malaysians of the sharp contrast and difference between DAP and MCA Mps.
MCA leaders compete to become candidates because this is a passport to wealth and position while DAP leaders who become MPs must be prepared to undergo graeter pressure and suffering , such as ISA detentions’ , court prosecutions ans even disqualification as MPs through court convictions and sentences for standing up for the rights of the people.
It is when DAP leaders are under great pressure that they need public support most , and I call on the public to come forward to support the DAP Defend Wee Choo Keong Fund.
Despite negative and malicious propanganda attacks from the MCA the Malaysian public know from the DAP record that DAP leaders are honorable men who dedicate their life to better the lots of the people , and that the DAP is not starting the Defend Wee Choo Keong Fund to misuse public money.
If DAP leaders are not interested in making money , then we need not go to so much trouble as collecting financial support from the public . In fact , if DAP leaders are interested in using politices to make money ,, they would have chosen would have been the MCA!
Early this month, the DAP Federal Territory STAte committee resolved to mobilize DAP members and supporters to support Sdr. Wee Choo Keong against Tan Sri Dato Loy Hean Heong in the great DAP tradition to protect the public interest and expose financial improprieties and scandals.
All other DAP State Committees should follow suit and mobilize DAP members and supporters to fully support Sdr. Wee Choo Keong against Tun Sri Datuk Loy Hean Heong in great DAP tradition to protect the public interest and to expose financial irregularities and scandals , without fear or favour.