Press Conference Statement by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Friday, October 7, 1994 at 11.30 a.m.
Seven Election Pledges which a Penang DAP State Government will implement if the Battle if Tanjong 3 suceeds in the next general elections
In the past four days, the DAP had released four policy documents, being Declarations on Full Liberalisation, Real Democracy and Human Rights, A Clean and Accountable Government and the Charter on, Mother-Tongue Education.
Based on the first Four Declarations of DAP Nation-Building Policies, the DAP has released today the first part of its Declaration on ‘Penang As A Model State’ setting out seven election pledges which a Penang DAP State Government will imple¬ment to set the pace for Full Liberalisation for the whole country if the Battle of Tanjong 3 gets the sutpport of the people.
DAP will issue Declarations on Nation-Building Policies on land, labour, education and environment in the second series of the five Penang ‘Tanjong 3’ Marathon Thousand-People Dinners on the Penang mainland from October 20 – 24. Two Tan jong 3’dinners will be held at Butterworth on October 20 and 21, two in Bukit Mertajam on October 22 and 23 and one in Nibong Tebal on October 24.
The DAP will also issue the second part of its Declaration on ‘Penang As A Model State’ during the second series of the Penang ‘Tanjong 3’ Marathon Thousand-People Dinners on the mainland.
The MPPP under Datuk Tan Gim Hwa wanted the DAP to invite either the Chief Minister, Dr. Koh Tsu Koon or the Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Ibrahim Saad to be guest speaker before the MPPP would give permission for the DAP to hold any ‘Tanjong 3’ dinner on MPPP grounds.
This is a most undemocratic and unacceptable condition, not only because the Gerakan-controlled MPPP is practising double standards, but is treating MPPP properties as if they are private Gerakan property when they belong to the ratepayers.
Tan Gin, Hwa has forgotten that although he is the appointed President of MPPP, lie is a mere ‘servant’ of the Penang Island ratepayers. Instead, he is behaving as if he is the ‘landlord’ of all the MPPP properties and ‘master’ not only of the Chief Minister, Dr. Koh Tsu Koon but also of all Penangites!
Gerakan is the biggest stumbling-block to ‘Full Liberalisation’ and the Ten-Point Democratisation Programme in Malaysia
The Penang Gerakan leaders must now be regretting for practising double-standards and discriminating against the DAP for not allowing the DAP to hold a ‘Tanjong 3’ Ten-Thousand People Dinner on Municipal grounds.
This is because the Ten-Night DAP Marathon ‘Tanjong 3’ Thousand-People Dinner – four of which had been held so far – is creating an even greater impact than the originally planned ‘Tanjong 3’ Ten-Thousand People Dinner.
The great support the DAP is receiving from the people for its Ten-Hight Marathon ‘Tanhong 3’ Thousand-People Dinners is also an expression or the people’s outrage at such arbitrary and undemocratic Gerakan actions.
This episode has also given the people of Penang and Malaysia the best example as to why the Gerakan os the biggest stinbling-block to the people’s aspirations for ‘Full Liberalisation’ and the Ten-Point Democratisation programme in Malaysia.
If the Gerakan-controlled MPPP could be so undemocratic as to deny the DAP the use of MPPP grounds for its ‘Tanjong 3’ dinner, while Gerakan political dinners are allowed to be held on MPPP grounds, how could Gerakan leaders claim that they understand the meaning and concept of ‘democracy’?
It is no wonder that the Gerakan leaders are now trying to stand in the way to stop the movement for ‘Full Liberalisation’ and the ‘Ten-Point Democratisation’ programme proclaimed by the DAP in conjunction with the Penang ‘Tanjong 3’ Marathon Thousand-People Dinners.
Gerakan joining hands with MCA to try to stop the lifting of the ban on public rallies in next general elections
The strongest opponent to the lifting of the ban on public rallies in the general elections is none then Gerakan. Gerakan is now joining hands with MCA to try to stop the lifting of the ban on public rallies for they both fear that it would not be to their interest in the next general elections it public rallies are allowed.
They are now lobbying UMNO leaders and the Police arguing that public rallies are a ‘luxury’ which a nation like Malaysia cannot afford. To Gerakan and MCA, Malaysia can afford ‘luxuries’ like corruption and the RM30 billion Bank Negara forex lossen scandal – but not the holding of public rallies.
I challenge the Gerakan and MCA leaders to give examples in Malaysia history when public rallies had been the cause of public disorder?
This is anotherclassic example where the Gerakan, together with MCA, are prepared to sacrifice democracy for their selfish party and self interests of their leaders.
I challenge the Gerakan and MCA to make a clear-cut public stand on the lifting of the ban on public rallies, and not to be ‘double-faced’-publicly pretending to support the lifting of the ban while lobbying UMNO leadersand the police ‘behind-the-scene’ not to lift the ban.