by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya on Tuesday, 24th June 1991:
Call on Sak Cheng Lum to fully answer the allegations made by MCA leaders that the MCA President, Datuk Seri Dr. Ling Liong Sik, has abused his political position for his own direct pecuniary interest
Penang MCA Chairman and MCA Deputy Secretary-General, Dr. Sak Cheng Lum, has joined the Penang UMNO and Penang Gerakan in demanding for the resignation of Sdr. Lim Hock Seng not only for a by-election for Mak Mandin State Assembly seat but also for a by-election for the Bagan parliamentary seat.
As usual, the MCA is always slower than others and can only follow the tail of others.
The DAP leadership had already dismissed as baseless and frivolous the Barisan Nasional allegations that Lim Hock Seng had abused his position as elected representative for his direct pecuniary interest when he moved the motion in the Penang Assembly last Tuesday calling on the State Government to regularise and legalise the illegal factories in the State.
If Dr. Sak does not understand the two reasons I have given for the DAP leadership’s dismissal of the allegations by the Deputy Chief Minister, and UMNO State Secretary, Dr. Ibrahim Saad and the Gerakan National Publicity Burcau chief and State Exco member, Dr. Kanbg Chin Seng, I am prepared to send him my full speech clearing Lim Hock Seng of the Barisan Nasional allegations for the top MCA leadership to study.
The DAP has also expressed its support for the Barisan Nasional State Government to establish a public inquiry into its allegation or to refer the matter to the Assembly Committee of Privileges.
We have formally proposed that the Penang Chief Minister, Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, summon an immediate meeting of the Penang Assembly by before July 10 to establish such a public inquiry or to refer the matter to the Committee of Privileges, and we are still waiting for the official notification from the Penang Assembly.
Will Dr. Sak join the DAP in formally and publicly urging the Penang Chief Minister to summon such an immediate Penang Assembly meeting without any delay?
I am very glad however that a MCA leader has for the first time in the 42-year MCA history shown interest on issues concerning political integrity and public accountability.
As Dr. Sak knows, one important reason why the MCA had been so decisively rejected in the October general elections was because of the disillusionment of the Malaysian Chinese with the MCA leaders who, according to former MCA Presidential Adviser Lim Kean Siew, are “self-seeking”.
Several volumes would be needed to record the political, moral and financial scandals of MCA leaders in the 42-year MCA history
Several volumes would be needed to record the political, moral and financial scandals of MCA leaders, including some of its Ministers, in the 42-year MCA history!
MCA is the only political party in Malaysia so far whose President had been jailed for criminal breach of trust – and jailed in more than one country. MCA is also the only political party whose national youth leader, representing the leadership of the next general election, had also been jailed for criminal breach of trust.
MCA is also the political party which virtually single-handedly caused the $1.5 billion Co-operative Finance scandal, and the sufferings caused to over three million Malaysian Chinese who deposited their hard-earned savings in these co-operatives and their dependants are still very fresh in their memory – as their losses have not been fully recouped.
MCA is also the only political party whose MP ((and one time Deputy Minister) did not resign from his Parliamentary seat after being convicted of criminal breach of trust and sentenced to jail so that a by –election could be held, and who is now still treated as a VIP in MCA functions.
MCA had been led by criminals in its top leadership!
In retrospect, it could be said that the MCA had been led by criminals in its top leadership!
MCA is also the only political party whose president had been openly accused of gross abuses of power, conflict if interest, unethical practices and corruption by MCA officials themselves as happened during the brief though abortive Ling Liong Sik-Lee Kim Sai battle for the MCA Presidency in April and May last year.
Up to now, Datuk Ling Liong Sik and the MCA leadership have not satisfactorily given a public accounting of the very serious questions raised by MCA challenges about the integrity if the MCA President.
Was Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik ever called up by the MCA leadership to explain and answer the numerous serious charges levelled against him by other MCA officials during the Liong Sik-Kim Sai power struggle, although the power struggle was finally called off?
I call on Dr. Sak to fully answer the charges made by MCA officials themselves against the MCA President about abusing his political position for his own direct pecuniary interest.
I am sure Dr. Sak, as MCA Deputy Secretary-General, is aware of all these allegations levelled against Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik during the Liong Sik-Kim Sai power struggle, but if he needs assistance, I am prepared to list out all the allegations against the MCA President raised during the MCA power struggle last year.
I have directed my political secretaries to re-open the MCA file, especially with regard to the multiple allegations made against Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik by his MCA opponents last year.
If Dr. Sak is unable to publicly clear the MCA President of these allegations, would he also be consistent and ask Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik to resign as Cabinet Minister, MP for Labis and also President of MCA?
I expect a rational and responsible reply from Dr. Sak. I hope it is not necessary for me to refresh his memory about the charges which MCA officials had openly made against Datuk Dr. Ling Liong Sik last year challenging his political integrity and honesty to remind Dr. Sak to reply to me.
If Dr. Sak challenges the veracity of what I have said about the MCA’s long catalogue of political, moral and financial scandals in its 42-year party history, I am prepared to give names, dates and facts!