By Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjong, Lim Kit Siang, in Malacca on Wednesday, 24th August 1994:
DAP had never supported Al Arqam and never had any relationship with it
The MCA National Publicity Chief and Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Wong See Wah, should stop his lies and baseless allegations against the DAP as in accusing the DAP of a ‘tie-up’ up with Al Arqam, as the DAP had never had any relationship with Al Arqam and had never supported Al Arqam.
DAP challenges Wong See Wah and the MCA leadership to produce evidence to prove when the DAP had supported Al Arqam.
With reagard to the report that the ‘No. 2’ man in Al Arqam had said in Indonesia two weeks ago that Al Arqam would support the DAP in the next general elections, and the reaction of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, this is complete news to the DAP as we knew nothing about it. In fact, we do not know whether the news report is genuine or a sheer concoction.
If MCA Deputy Minister in the prime Minister’s Department has documentary proof of such an announcement, he can send a copy to us for study.
At the last Parliamentary meeting, DAP MP for Bayan Baru, Ahmad Nor, had raised the issue of Al Arqam, not to express support for Al Arqam, but to ak the Government ot issue a clear and satisfactory statement on its position on Al Arqam.
In fact, up to now, the Barisan Nasional Government has not been able to give a full and satisfactory explanation about its previous encouragement and support of Al Arqam. It is open knowledge for instance that until the 1990 general elections, Al Arqam had been very supportive of UMNO.
If Al Arqam is so extremist and ‘frightening’ as now described by the Government, then why did it take action only after more than 20 years of operation by Al Arqam?
As a non-Muslim, I do not want to comment on Whether Al Arqam is a deviationist Muslim orgainisation.
I hope the MCA would show a more mature and responsible attitude on this issue, an dnot try to distort issued to seek cheap political mileage.
I can understand why the MCA is now so desperate to try to distract public attention from the issue of the lack of honesty, intergrity and accountability in the MCA nation-wide donation drive for Chinese Independent Seconfary Schools – especially after the MCA Jempol Division donation scandal, where MCA kept 75 per cent of donations collected from the Chinese community using the name of Chinese Independent Secondary Schools, while handing over only 25 per cent.
This is why MCA leaders have turned to the Al Arqam issue to ‘open fire’ on the DAP, although they know in their ‘heart of hearts’ that the DAP never had any relationship with Al Arqam.