By Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjong , Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Saturday, 7th October 1995:
Advice to Liong Sik to do special homework in the next three days to present a strong and irrefutable case to Cabinet for the lifting of the ban on the Justice Bao television series
From the remarks by the MCA President, Datuk Dr. Liong Liong Sik in Kota Tinggi on Thursday, it is clear that Liong Sik had neither seen the Justice Bao television series nor knew the peosonality and character of Justice Bao.
Despite his ignorance of the Justice Bao television series and the character, personality and synbolism of Justice Bao, ban at Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting and get the ban lifted.
I would advise Liong Sik to do special homework in the next three days to present a strong and irrefutable case to the Cabinet for the lifting of the ban on the Justice Bao television series and I offer my help and services if they are needed.
Liong Sik cannot spent time more usefully in the next three days while doing homework for the Cabinet meeting than to see a few episodes of Justice Bao series, so that he would not rely on hearsay but can talk with personal knowledge and conviction that there could be no reason or basis for the ban.
Justice Bao should be help up in Cabinet as a model for all Malaysian Cabinet Ministers to emulate in the uncompromising war against corruption and abuses of power.
In fact, Justice Bao should be should be held up in Cabinet as a model for all Malaysian Cabinet Ministers to emulate in the uncompromising war against corrupution and abuses of power.
Liong Sik should aim himself with irrefutable arguments for the forthcoming Cabinet meeting that ban is against the nation-building process in a plural society as well as the Vision 2020 objective of creating a Bangsa Malaysia.
In fact, Liong Sik should inform the Information Minister, Datuk Mohamed Rahmat that in banning the Justice Bao television series, the Information Ministry was violating the expressed policy pronouncements of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed and the Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Liong Sik should go to the Cabinet to quote the speech made by the Prime Minister when he launched the national-level Rakan Seni Budaya programme at the Sarawak Stadium in Kuching on April 3 this year, a few days before Mahathir dissolved Parliament to call for general election.
The theme of Mahathir’s speech was that the young generation of Malaysians must perpetuate Malaysia’s varied culture and traditions to ensure that the nation’s Identity was not lost in this modern era overwhelming Western influence.
Mahathir said efforts must be taken to combine the different cultural practices to produce a truly Malaysian culture everyone could be proud of.
He also spoke of the need to appreciate old traditions and practices to ensure that they are not forgotten.
“Young Malaysians must take on the responsibility to learn about the cultures of the other races in a bid to understand each other better and thus promote peace, harmony and unity in the country”, the Prime Minister said.
Justice Bao, his absolute uprightness and fearless integrity in his war against corruption and abuses of power, has become part of the Chinese cultural folklore – which speaks of universal values which could be shared by Malaysians of all races.
In banning the Justice Bao television series on the ground that it is costume drama is short-sighted, superficial , anti-history and philistine.
I do not see how, if Liong Sik spends the next three days doing homework on the subject, he could not present a strong and irrefutable case to Cabinet for the lifting of the ban on the Justice Bao television series.