Press Conference Statement (2) by Par1imentary Opposition Leaders, DAP Secretary—General and MP for Kota Melaka, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Friday, August 9, 1985 at 11 a.m.
Advice to Adib Adam to act as a responsible rational leader and not go round racialising the Save Sim Kee Chon campaign
I find the speech by the Land and Regional Development Minister, Datuk Seri Adib Adam, alleging that DAP and PAS had a common interest in stirring up racial emotions in the Sim Kie Chon case most shocking and baffling.
Baffling because if Sim Kie Chon Case is a ‘racial’ question, how come the DAP and PAS can both agree to urge the Yang di Pertuan Agong to exercise his prerogative of mercy to commute Sim’s death sentence to life imprisonment. DAP and PAS should be taking opposite stands.
Shocking because Adib Adam has forgotten that he is a national leader who must set the example of Malaysian-mindedness instead of going around racialising the Save Sim Kee Chon campaign
by shouting at the top of his voice that this is a racial issue.
If anyone is racialising the Sim Kee Chon issue, it is Adib Adam and other UMNO leaders who refuse to understand that the Save Sim Kee Chon campaign is based on the three grounds of humanitarian, equality arid justice, and moral considerations.
I would advice Adib Adam to act as a responsible national leader arid to stop going around the country racialising the Save Sim, Kee Chon campaign by insisting that it is a racial issue.
The Save Sim Kee Chon campaign is based on the teachings of all great religions about the values of humanity, equality and justice and moral uprightness.
I would remind Datuk Seri Adib Adam of Prophet Mohamedswarning that “Society must surely disintegrate when those who are supposed to uphold justice are lenient with the powerful for their misdeeds but harsh upon the weak for their wrongdoings.”
I would also urge Adib Adam not to twist and distort the campaign’s purpose, No one is questioning the the royal prerogative of mercy, and this is why the Campaign is a Petition to the Yang di Pertuan Agong to exercise his prerogative of mercy to reprieve Sim’s death penalty.
The people of Malaysia, however, have a right to expect and demand that the Pardons Board when making recommedations with regard to the appeals for pardon act fairly and justly. Although the Pardons Board’s function could bot be challenged in the courts, the members of the Pardons Board could not act act as if they are not accountable to the peop1c of Malaysia, or that they need not act in accordance with the principles of equality, justice and morality.
My third reaction to Adib Adam’s speech is one of profoun1 sadness. Here is an opportunity for all Malaysians, political parties and organisations to show that 28 years after Merdeka in 1957, we could begin to rise above race considerations to deal with issues or their intrinsic merits and principles. Sim Kie Chon’s case must no be Seen as a racial question, but as a question of whether we can permit double standards of laws, or two sets of justice and morality in the country — one for the powerful and the other for the week. If all political parties could take a common stand and rise above the ethnic factor, then not only have all political parties, but Ma1aysians would becomir of age, this would be the best reason for the National Day celebration in Malacca on August 31.
It is still not too late, and I call on UMNO to join the DAP, PAS, ALIRAN , trade unions, civic organisation in the country to jointly deal with the Sim case not as a racial but solevy from the grounds of humanity, equality and justice, and morality. Let us show that we have become
Malaysians 28 years after Merdeka, and not merely Malays Chinese, Indians, etc.