by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Thursday, 27 June 1991:
Dr.Koh Tsu Koon still does not know his function powers and duties as Penang Chief Minister after eight months in office
Penang Chief Minister, Dr.Koh Tsu Koon, said yesterday the State Government would consider summoning an emergency meeting the State Assembly if the DAP makes public the explanatory letter DAP Assemblyman for Mak Mandin, Sdr.Lim Hock Seng.
I am surprised by Dr.Koh’s statement, which shows this after eight months in office, he still does not know his function powers and duties.
What is even more shocking, Dr.Koh does not seem to understand what are the issues in question.
In the first place, the DAP is not asking him to convene the State Assembly on the Lim Hock Seng matter, because the DAP leadership had dismissed the allegation by the Deputy Chief Minister UMNO State Secretary, Dr.Ibrahim Saad as completely baseless and frivolous.
So the question of the DAP submitting Lim Hock Seng’s explanatory letter to Dr.Koh TSu Koon so that he could consider whether to convene the Penang State Assembly does not arise at how could Dr.Koh ever think that this is the issue?
As far as the DAP is concerned, the Lim Hock Seng issue closed.
It is the Barisan Nasional leaders, in particular the Gerakan National Publicity Bereau chief and Exco member, who wants to the issue alive by continuing to make statements on the issue, even the eve of the funeral of Lim Hock Seng’s mother, and getting different Gerakan branches to come out with wilder and wilder statements.
This is why I had said that if the Gerakan State Government leaders are serious about the issue, and not just acting as opportunists to gain cheap publicity, it should convene an immediate meeting of the State Assembly for Dr.Kang to refer Hock Seng to the Committee of Privileges.
Dr.Koh should call up Dr.Ibrahim Saad and Dr.Kang find out whether there is any proof in their allegations to warrant convening of an immediate meeting of the State Assembly on the Hoch Seng issue.
Tsu Koon is hoping the DAP will save him from the created by Dr.Ibrahim Saad and Dr.Kang Chin Seng
I would strongly advise Dr.Koh not to convene an immediate meeting of the State Assembly on the Lim Hock Seng issue if the Barisan Nasional ‘doctors’ have no evidence at all in their allegation against Lim Hock Seng, as the Chief Minister would only be invi humiliation and public ridicule.
The very fact tat Dr.Koh did not propose a motion to Hock Seng to the Committee of Privileges in the Assembly meeting June 18 is itself proof that the Chief Minister was aware that was no basis in Dr.Ibrahim Saad’s allegation.
I am sure Dr.Koh is not saying that it was an oversign his part in failing to move a motion to refer Hock Seng to the Committee of Privileges, because of his inexperience and immaturity as Chief Minister.
Dr.Koh is looking for a way out of the mess which had created by Dr.Ibrahim Saad and Dr,Kang Chin Seng, and hoping the DAP will give a way out. The DAP is not going to help him find a way out.
He should be a man enough to openly admit that the Barisan Nasional ‘doctors’ never had any evidence to justify the allegation against Hock Seng that he had abused his position as elected representative for his direct pecuniary interest.
This will be a lesson to Dr.Ibrahim Saad and Dr.Kang to make baseless allegations in future. If the three Barisan Nasional ‘doctors’ would admit their mistake, I will ask Hock Seng not demand for an apology from them.