Speech (Part 2) by Parliamentary Op-position Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, at the DAP Aver Tawar Branch anniversary dinner held at Ayer Tawar, Perak on Saturday, February 26, 1994 at 8 p.m.
Keng Yaik has proved himself to be a coward who dare not admit that he had said on television news that I had ‘guilty conscience’ in connection with the allegation that Australian spies had bribed opposition politicians
Gerakan President and Minister for Primary Industries, Datuk Dr. Lim Keng Yaik, has proved himself to be a coward who dare not admit that he had said on RTM TV English news on January 29 that I have a ‘guilty conscience’ in my quick and strong reaction to the Australian mass media allegations that Australian spies had bribed opposition politicians.
In making such a statement, that I have ‘guilty conscience’, Keng Yaik was virtually accusing me of having re¬ceived bribes from Australian spies and a traitor of the country.
These are very serious and defamatory allegations, and this was why I had announced on February 5 that I want to sue Keng Yaik for defaming my reputation and character.
My lawyer, Karpal Singh, had written to Keng Yaik on February 7 asking him to confirm that he had made the statement, which had been seen by those who had watched the RTM Television English news on January 29.
However, Keng Yaik had not dared to reply to Karpal’s letter – whether to confirm or to deny, or to tender a full apology and retractionn of his statement.
This is a most, unbecoming conduct for a veteran poli¬tician like Keng Yaik, who dare not admit what he had said or to have the humility to apologise for his statement.
I had previously called Keng Yaik a liar. Now I call him a coward!
I have asked Karpal Singh to write to RTM for a tran¬script or copy of the RTM Television English News on January 29. Is Keng Yaik prepared to publicly state that he has no objection to the RTM furnishing my lawyer with the transcript or copy of the RTM Television English news on January 29, or would he quietly ask the Information Minister, Datuk Mohamed Rahmat, not to release the transcript or copy?
Keng Yaik and Tsu Koon were trying to instigate the Government to detain me and other DAP leaders under the Internal Security Act
During the one week from January 26 to February 3 when the Cabinet splashed in Malaysian mass media the Sydney Sunday Telegraph alleging that opposition politicians had received bribes from Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS), Keng Yaik and the Penang Chief Minister, Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, were in the forefront to incite the Government to take action against DAP leaders.
Keng Yaik and Tsu Koon were even trying to instigate the Government to detain me and other DAP leaders under the Internal Security on the ground that we had engaged in disloyal and treasonous activities against Malaysia – by making even wilder allegations than the Sydney Sunday Telegraph report.
Keng Yaik insinuated that the DAP had. received our funds from foreign spies, alleging that the DAP had more money than the Barisan Nasional in general elections; while Tsu Koon alleged that Opposition politicians had also been receiving bribes from foreign media.
It is fortunate that the matter was clarified by the Canberra Times report on February 3 that it was not the opposi¬tion MPs and politicians who were bribed by ASIS agents, but government and UMNO MPs and politicians who had been receiving bribes from Australian spies until four years ago.
If not for the Canberra Timas report of February 3, I would not be surprised if I had been detained for the third time under the Internal Security Act and would at present be undergo¬ing the 60-day solitary confinement prior to formal detention at the Kamunting Detention Centre. In fact, one day before the Canberra Times report, on February 3, the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Rahim Noor, publicly talked, about the use of the Internal Security Act as a result of the Sydney Sunday Telegraph allegation:
DAP will demand that Keng Yaik and Tsu Koon should apologise at the next meeting of Parliament and Penang State Assembly for their irresponsible allegations
DAP MPs will demand at the next meeting of Parliament, which begins on April 11, that Keng Yaik should apologise for his ridiculous and irresponsible statement that the DAP has more money than Barisan Nasional in general elections.
Penang DAP Assemblymen will also demand at the next. Penang State Assembly that Tsu Koon should also apologise for his reckless and despicable allegation that the DAP had been bribed not only by the Australian secret service agents, but also by the foreign media.
Both Keng Yaik and Tsu Koon should explain why they have nothing to say about, allegations that government and UMNO MPs and politicians had been receiving bribes from Australian secret service agents until four years ago! Is it their stand that there is nothing wrong with government and UMNO politicians receiving bribes from Australian spies, so long as they are not opposition politicians?
DAP calls for convening of emergency Parliamentary meeting and a Government White Paper on the alle¬gations of corruption, bribery and improprieties against Malaysian Government leaders and politi-cians and the sanctions against Britain
DAP calls for the convening of an emergency meeting of Parliament on the allegations of corruption, bribery and impro¬prieties against Malaysian government leaders and politicians which had appeared in the British mass media in the past two months and the sanctions against Britain decided by the Cabinet in retaliation against these allegations.
DAP is prepared to support the Malaysian Government’s decision to impose sanctions against the United Kingdom, by banning all government contracts to British companies, if there is no basis whatsoever to the spate of allegations of corruption, bribery and improprieties implicating Malaysian government lead¬ers and politicians.
The onus, however, is on the Government to furnish the DAP and all Malaysians with the information and relevant docu¬ments to rebut these allegations.
The Government should issue a White Paper on these allegations, which had gravely undermined Malaysia’s credibility and integrity, for the emergency meeting of Parliament.
The emergency meeting of Parliament should be held in the middle of March immediately after the Hari Raya Puasa holi¬days.