By Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretay-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Friday, 19th August 1994:
Penang DAP Tanjong 3 Committee will decide next week whether to institute legal proceedings against the Gerakan-controlled MPPP for its abuse of power, double-standards and undemocratic refusal to allow DAP to hold Tanjong 3 10,000-People Dinner on MPPP grounds
The Penang DAP Tanjong 3 Committee will decide next week whether to institute legal proceedings against the Gerakan-controlled MPPP for its abuse of power, double-standards and undemocratic refusal to allow the DAP to hold Tanjong 3 10,000-People Dinner on MPPP grounds.
At a time when there is greater popular demand for democratization in Malaysia, as in having a freer press and allowing public rallies to be held in the next general elections, the Gerakan has emerged as the greatest enemy of democracy and human rights in Malaysia.
In fact, so far, the Gerakan in Penang stands out as the only political party which has openly declared its opposition to the proposal to allow public rallies to be held in the next general elections.
The Prime Minster, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed has said that he has an ‘open mind’ on the question as to whether to lift the ban on public rallies, but Gerakan leaders have closed their minds and want the ban to continue!
The Gerakan has completely deviated from its founding party principles to defend democracy and human rights, for it fears that if the people are allowed democracy and human rights – as in allowing public rallies in the next general elections – Gerakan would lose the Penang State Government.
This was the real reason why the MPPP had denied the DAP the use of the Esplanade or the Taman Free School Grounds for the holding of a ‘Tanjong 3’ 10,000-People Dinner on October 1, although on July 17, Gerakan Jelutong Division had held a political dinner at Taman Free School Grounds where I was the subject of abuses and attack the whole night.
It was the Gerakan which started a ‘poster war’ with its poster of lies against the DAP, putting up thousands of posters like ‘DAP Lies’ and ‘Tanjong 3 = Kelantan’. But when the DAP reacted with superior, more effective and more powerful slogans, the Gerakan panicked and again abused their powers in State and Local Government level to tear down DAP posters.
Recently, three DAP Malay members were even arrested ofr putting up posters with the words “Selamatkan Tanah Wakaf” in connection with the campaign launched by the Jawatankuasa Penyelaras Melayu DAP Pulau Pinang.
Can any Gerakan leader, whether at the State or local government level, explain why no Gerakan leader or member had been arrested for putting up thousands of Gerakan posters attacking the DAP, while the Gerakan-controlled MPPP went out of its way to tear down DAP posters and arrest Malay DAP members for putting up posters?