Press Conference Statement by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secret-Genera and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Saturday, 12th May 1990 at 12 noon
Lim Keng Yaik wants to use lies like the secret DAP-PAS meeting in Jakarta to counter and defeat DAP’s Tanjung 2 project
I am glad that the Gerakan President, Datuk Dr. Lim Keng Yaik, has at last been forced to admit that if I get a Gerakan member, even one who claims himself to be a top Gerakan national leader, to call a press conference to say that Keng Yaik is the most corrupt Minister in Malaysia who uses his overseas trips to put his corruption money in unnumbered Swiss bank accounts, Keng Yaikwould immediately sue me.
Keng Yaik has agreed that I could not defend myself by claiming that I “sincerely and honestly believe” what this Gerakan member tells me about Keng Yaik being the most corrupt Minister in Malaysia who uses his overseas trips to put his corruption money in unnumbered Swiss bank accounts. I will have to bear the full responsibility if I had repeated such an allegation.
If this is the case, why is Keng Yaik still maintaining his double standards, and why won’t he similarly admit and concede that he cannot defend his lies about the secret DAP-PAS meeting in Jakarta by producing a DAP member claiming there was such a meeting, and for him to say that he “honestly and sincerely believed” what such a DAP member said!
A lie remains a lie, even if there is one or two person who, for reasons best known to themselves, are prepared to tell more lies by claiming that it is true.
Keng Yaik regards freedom of speech as his freedom to concoct and tell lies
Keng Yaik is now claiming that I am trying to suppress his freedom of speech. Keng Yaik regards freedom of speech as his freedom to concoct and tell lies such as the secret DAP-PAS meeting in Jakarta.
If Keng Yaik regards freedom of speech to include the freedom to tell lies, then he should not object if I go round repeating an allegation that Keng Yaik is the most corrupt Minister in Malaysia who uses his overseas trips to deposit his corruption money in unnumbered Swiss bank accounts. Yet he said he would sue me if I do such a thing. Why such double standards in his definition of freedom of speech?
It is clear that Keng Yaik and the Gerakan ‘braintrust’ comprising the Gerakan Deputy President, Kerk Choo Ting, Gerakan National Youth Leader, Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, and the Director of Gerakan Publicity Bureau, Dr. Kang Chin Seng, instead to use lies like the secret DAP-PAS meeting in Jakarta to counter and defeat the DAP’s Tanjung 2 project.
I call on Keng Yaik to be truthful and state how many other lies and falsehoods the Gerakan ‘braintrust’ has planned to use in the run-up to the general elections, as well as during the general elections, in their battle against the Tanjung 2 project of DAP.
It is very sad and pathetic to see a political party resorting to lies and falsehoods as its only means of political offensive and defensive.
Keng Yaik said he would not talk about the Jakarta meeting any more, but will be prepared to debate with me on any political issue.
Keng Yaik knows that the so-called secret DAP-PAS meeting in Jakarta is one big lie, and the more he talks about it, the worse it is for him. But he should know that his lies about the DAP-PAS secret meeting in Jakarta won’t just go away and disappear, unless he had the courage, humility and conscience to admit that it is a big lie.
Kit Siang names Liew Ah Kim as his personal representative to finalise dates, place and time, the Chairman and rules for series of public debate with Keng Yaik on Gerakan allegations that DAP wants to create an Islamic State by co-operating with PAS
Keng Yaik said he is prepared to debate with me on any political issue. If this is the case, why hasn’t he accepted my challenge to a series of public debated on the allegations by him and other Gerakan leaders that the DAP wants to create an Islamic State by co-operating with PAS?
If Keng Yaik is sincere and speaking the truth that he is prepared to debate political issues with me, then let us appoint our respective representatives to finalise details as to dates, places, time, Chairmen and rules of the debated.
I am appointing the DAP National Publicity Secretary and MP for Seputeh, Liew Ah Kim, as my representative to finalise all arrangements of this series of public debated between Keng Yaik and me, which should be held in Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and English, in various parts of the country, with whichever representative Keng Yaik chooses to aapoint.
Is Keng Yaik hoping to drag out the defamation suit for as long as eight years like the Samy Vellu case?
Keng Yaik strongly opposed my proposal that both of us reach accord that my defamation suit against Keng Yaik for calling me a liar last Wednesday should be heard in court with the swiftest dispatch, either within a month of filing of action or at the earliest convenient court date.
Is Keng Yaik hoping that this defamation suit would drag out for as long as eight years as the Samy Vellu suit, where the MIC President sued Karpal Singh for calling him a ‘cheat’ and which was dismissed by the Supreme Court earlier this week?
Keng Yaik should know that our respective lawyers act on our instructions, and if we reach accord that the defamation suit should be heard by the Court urgently, with no unnecessary delays and legal obstructions, then it is for the lawyers to act on our instructions and to make a joint application to the Court for the earliest convenient date.
Keng Yaik can only object to my proposal if his intention is for the defamation suit to drag out as long as possible.