By Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung , Lim Kit Siang , in Petaling Jaya on Monday , 31st January 1994:
Challenge to Keng Yaik and all Barisan Nasional Ministers and leaders to publicy declare their assents together with DAP leaders and those who could not explain they have derived their income from legal and honest means should resign from all political positions
The Gerakan leaders have shown themselves to be the most irresponsible and unprincipled in their attempt to play politics with the preposterous allegation of the Sydney Sunday Telegraph that Australian spies had bribed Opposition Politicians and MPs.
Penang Chief Minister , Dr Koh Tsu koon showed that he could be even more irresponsible than Sydney Sunday Telegraph when he alleged completely without evidence that the ‘ foreign mass media ‘ had bribed Opposition politicians – which was taken as a serious allegation by the editorial of a national daily!
Gerakan President and Minister for Primary Industries , Datuk Dr. Lim Keng yaik assumed that the preposterous allegation in the Sydney Sunday Telegraph was gospel truth ,and immediately demanded that the Government should investigate the finances of Opposition leaders.
If Keng Yaik is mere ‘foolish doctor’ he is harmless; but he is a petty and vicious political opportunist
Keng Yaik has no concept of right and wrong , no interest for truth or lies and no idea of national honour and national insult.
He is only fired with sheer political opportunities and obsessed with how to exploit the Sydney Sunday Telegraph report to serve Gerakan ‘s petty political advantage – even disregarding the statement by the Prime Minister , Datuk Seri DrMahathir Mohamed that the first thing that has to be established is whether the allegation is true or not.
I challenge Keng Yaik and all Barisan Nasional leaders to publicly declare their assets together with DAP leaders and to fully explain their sources of income and wealth and that those who could not prove that they had derived their income from legal and honest means should immediately resign from all political positions.
I also challenge Keng Yaik to ask the Cabinet tomorrow to formally accept this DAP challenge to let Malaysians know whether all political leaders , whether government or opposition are prepared to place their financial integrity under public scrutiny.
If Keng Yaik is not prepared to accept the DAP challenge or to ask the Cabinet to accept the DAP challenge , then he is not a serious , honest or responsible political leader but a petty political opportunist who wants to politicize a national issue which should transcend party politics.
DAP also challenges all the Barisan Nasional parties to join the DAP in publicly opening their party accounts and explain their sources of income
What is even more shocking is Keng Yaik ‘s allegation that at every general elections , DAP has more money than the Barisan Nasional . If a public opinion poll is conducted , only one person In the whole of Malaysia could have believed in such preposterous nonsense – as even other Barisan Nasional leaders would not dare to expose themselves to public ridicule and mockery by uttering such ‘rubbish’.
This has confirmed the aptness of Keng Yaik’ nickname as a foolish doctor! But if Keng Yaik merely a foolish doctor , he would be harmless . But from his latest allegations , Keng Yaik has shown that he is an ‘evil and vicious doctor’ – as he is virtually asking the Government to take action against me for being a ‘traitor’!
DAP hereby also challenges all the Barisan Nasional parties to join the DAP in publicly opening their party accounts and explain their resources of income , particularly with regard to their general elections expenditures.
I had said in Parliament in December 1990 that the Barisan Nasional was estimated to have spent RM300 million in the 1990 general elections.
During the UMNO party elections last year, when the politics of money was most rife in Malaysian politics , it had been estimated that as much as RM 500 million had been spent.
Has the KLSE ‘crash ‘early this month anything to do with fund-raising for the Sabah state general elections?
Keng Yaik should be aware of allegations that the ‘crash ‘ in the Kuala Lumpur stock market earlier this month was related to the fund-raising campaign by UMNO to raise a few hundred millions of ringgit for the Sabah state general elections.
If Keng Yaik is so concerned about financial integrity and property of political parties , why didn’t he join the DAP in pressing for a full investigation into the massive financial expenditures by the Barisan Nasional in the 1990 general elections and during the UMNO party elections last year , as well as the real reasons for the KLSE ‘ crash ‘ earlier this month?
I have instructed my lawyers , Karpal Singh & Co , to institute legal proceedings against Shin Min Daily News and we are deciding whether to sue two other Chinese newspaper.
I have instructed my lawyers , Karpal Singh & Co , to institute legal proceedings against Shin Min Daily News for its reports of certain political party reactions which virtually accused me of having been bribed by Australian spies.
Newpaper which published defamatory press statements by publicly bureaus or committees of political parties will have to take full responsibility for their actions.
If they have to pay hefty damages for publishing such defamatory press statements, it is up to them subsequently to claim compensation from the political parties concerned.
We are also deciding whether to sue two other Chinese newspaper for publishing press statements from Barisan Nasional component parties which made baseless and defamatory allegations against me .
I have been very reluctant to take legal action against newspaper but certain Barisan Nasional component parties are exploiting this reluctant to make baseless and defamatory allegations against DAP leaders. I had previously given notice that newspaper would have take legal responsibility for publishing statements from certain Barisan Nasional component parties which are baseless and defamatory and I hope that I do not have to defend my integrity by taking more defamatory proceedings against certain Chinese newspaper.