The DAP Organising Secretary and Parliamentary Candidate for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, today issued the following statement (5.5.1969):
The DAP and all peace- loving Malaysians must deplore the senseless and barbaric police shooting and killing of Lim Sun Seng of Kepong two nights ago.
From all accounts, the police fired the first shot directly into the crowed without any previous warning shots into the air. This is a criminal act of irresponsibility, because no policeman should ever fire the first shot into a crowd. The people must be warned first to disperse, with shot into the air.
But in this case, the first shot was aimed at the crowd with the deliberate purpose to kill, and it did kill. The Malaysian people cannot allow or condone trigger-happy or panic-prone policemen prowling around Malaysians towns and villages, with the itch to shoot to kill with the first shot. The police must be specifically instructed forbidden to fire the first shot at the people.
What has aroused public alarm is the report that the youth Lim Sun Seng, was killed from the back. This means that Lim Sun Seng was fleeing from the police, when shot.
If this is true, than the culprit must be punished. For there can be no justification whatsoever for shooting into a dispersing crowd.
An immediate public inquiry into this matter is vital and urgent, if the people are not to lose complete confidence in the ability of the police to maintain law and order with restraint and discretion, and without the senseless killing of people.
This senseless killing of people by the police must stop. The whole matter must be thoroughly investigated and satisfactorily dealt with.
I do not see anything wrong or criminal in people who want to paint posters on roads to express dissent, for in a democratic country, there must be room for dissenters to express their views, so long as they do not instigate violence and unrest.
If dissent is completely suppressed, and only ‘one voice, one mind and one view’ is allowed, then we are hurtling towards the totalitarian direction.