by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Friday, January 13, 1995:
I am giving Liong Sik a second extension to give him a total of 10 days until next Monday to produce proof or he should publicly apologise for the MCA’s ‘greatest political blunder for 1995’ in falsely claiming that the Kelantan State Government had acquired 1,000 acres of 500 Chinese smallholders at Tanah Putih, Gua Musang under the Land Acquisition Act without compensation
From the latest statement by the MCA National Publicity Bureau, it would appear that the MCA national leadership is still sticking to its allegation that the Kelantan State Government had acquired 1,000 acres of 500 Chinese smallholders at Tanah Putih, Gua Musang under the Land Acquisition Act without compensation.
The DAP had gone on record as declaring that once the MCA leadership can produce proof that the Kelantan State Government had acquired 1,000 acres of 500 Chinese smallholders at Tanah Putih, Gua Musang under the Land Acquisition Act without compensation, DAP will institute legal proceedings against the Kelantan State Government for violating the legal and constitutional rights of Malaysians even if the MCA is afraid to sue the Kelantan State Government.
In view of the latest statement by the MCA National Publicity Bureau, I have decided to give the MCA President, Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik a second extension to give him a total of 10 days until next Monday to produce proof or he should publicly apologise for the MCA’s ‘greatest political blunder for 1995 in falsely claiming that the Kelantan State Government had acquired 1,000 acres of 500 Chinese smallholders at Tanah Putih, Gua Musang under the Land Acquisition Act without compensation.
I am sure the whole country is asking why the MCA leadership finds it so difficult to substantiate its allegation that the Kelantan State Government had acquired 1,000 acres of 500 Chinese smallholders at Tanah Putih, Gua Musang under the Land Acquisition Act without compensation if there is any basis to such a serious allegation.
I am particularly interested in the MCA allegation that the Kelantan State Government had acquired 1,000 acres of 500 Chinese smallholders at Tanah Putih, Gua Musang under the Land Acquisition Act without compensation for two reasons:
*Firstly, if this allegation is true, then this will be the first time in Malaysian history that a state government had deprived the property rights of Malaysians in total violation of the Malaysian Constitution and the Land Acquisition Act; and
*Secondly, how the MCA national leadership could be expected to defend anyone’s rights if it is so helpless and dare not to defend and champion the rights of the Tanah Putih, Gua Musang smallholders as by taking legal action against the Kelantan State Government.
I have been challenged to visit Gua Musang to find out the actual situation. I am prepared to visit Gua Musang but before any such visit, I want the MCA to produce proof that the Kelantan State Government had acquired 1,000 acres of 500 Chinese smallholders at Tanah Putih, Gua Musang under the Land Acquisition Act without compensation since it dared to make such an allegation publicly.
Furthermore, I would also want an explanation from the Gua Musang Branch of the National Smallholders Association as to why its letter to me dated December 14 did not reach me until 26 days later, and how come before I received the letter, the MCA national leaders knew of its contents and enabled it to issue two press statements to make a false claim and try to use it as ‘political ammunition’ against the DAP?
Could it be that this letter from the National Smallholders Association purportedly to be dated 14th December 1994 but which did not reach me until after the National Conference Against Land Acquisition Abuses and Injustices was in fact prepared and drafted on the advice and directive of the MCA national leaders?
This raises the question as to whether the letter to me from the Gua Musang Branch of the National Smallholders Association was a genuine appeal for help or whether it was just to provide some ammunition for the MCA national leadership against the DAP.
The Gua Musang Branch of the National Smallholders Association owe me and the public an explanation as to whether it is only interested in playing politics with the MCA national leadership against the DAP – and if so, it should not expect a response from me.
This does not mean that the DAP will shirk from our responsibility to speak up against injustices any time and any place.
The Gua Musang Branch of the National Smallholders Association has claimed that they had sent a copy of their letter to me to Kang Sam Chuan whom it described as Chairman if the Kota Bahru DAP Branch.
As Kang Sam Chuan is not Chairman of the Kota Bahru DAP Branch but ordinary member, this reinforces the question whether the Gua Musang Branch of the National Smallholders Association is only interested in playing MCA politics and not sincere in wanting the DAP’s help.