ACCCIM and FCAM's blank-cheque support for "all actions and measures" of
Barisan Nasional government including abuses of power, injustices and violations
of human rights most shocking and unbelievable
Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang
(Petaling Jaya, Wednesday): The
statement by the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and
Industry of Malaysia (ACCCIM) and the Federation of Chinese Associations
of Malaysia (FCAM) expressing their "full support for all actions
and measures taken by the government under the leadership of Dr Mahathir
in tackling and facing the country's economic challenges as well
as fighting all forms of threats to the national sovereignty, economy
and leadership" is most shocking and unbelievable.
The ACCCIM and FCAM have the dubious distinction of being the two organisations
which have extended total, absolute and blind loyalty and support to the
Mahathir government.
It has not come as a surprise that the ACCCIM and FCAM openly
declared their "solid support to the government and will continue to
strive and cooperate with the national leadership to achieve stability,
peace and progress to bring the nation towards the new millennium
and meeting the aspiration of Vision 2020".
But for the ACCIM and FCAM to pledge total, absolute and blind loyalty
and support to the Mahathir government in their "full support for all actions
and measures taken" by the Barisan Nasional government does not reflect
well on both organisations, their member organisations' or the Chinese
community they claim to represent.
Are the ACCCIM and FCAM declaring that they are not only in full
support for Mahathir's leadership and policies, but also for "all actions
and measures" taken by the present government, including all the abuses
of power, injustices and violations of human rights as for instance,
the following:
-
Rampant corruption and abuses of power resulting in Malaysia falling further
in the Transparency International's 1999 Corruption Perception Index (CPI)
to No. 32 out of 99 countries, as compared to Malaysia's 23rd ranking in
the 1995 CPI.
-
Unresolved financial scandals, whether the Perwaja scandal, the three bail-outs
of Bank Bumiputra in 12 years involving RM4.7 billion of public funds and
the government bail-out of crony companies.
-
Subversion of the doctrine of the separation of powers resulting in the
multiple crisis of confidence in the independence and integrity of important
institutions of state, whether the Judiciary, the Attorney-General's Chambers,
the Auditor-General's office, the Police, the Bank Negara, the Election
Commission.
-
Persecution of Malaysians who dare to stand up for justice, freedom, democracy
and good governance, especially in the case of Lim Guan Eng.
-
Police unaccountability resulting in serious violations of fundamental
rights of citizens, as in increasing incidence of innocent victims of
trigger-happy police shootings - the latest victim being 29-year-old Dr.
Tai Eng Teck.
-
The 10th general election becoming the "dirtiest" election in the nation's
history - with the disenfranchisement of 650,000 young new voters who had
registered in the voters' registraton exercise in April/May this
year and the most blatant use of the politics of lies and falsehood, politics
of money and politics of fear and intimidation.
It is for ACCCIM and FCAM to decide whether they want to support the
Barisan Nasional in the next general election, but for them to say that
they support "all actions and measures" of the Barisan Nasional government
including abuses of power, justices and violations of human rights
which have led to the unprecedented multiple crisis of confidence
in the system of governance and promising to give another blank cheque
to the Barisan Nasional government is clearly not the act of responsible,
civic-minded and justice-conscious organisations.
(3/11/99)
*Lim Kit Siang - Malaysian Parliamentary
Opposition Leader, Democratic Action Party Secretary-General & Member
of Parliament for Tanjong