Liong Sik and Keng Yaik should declare whether MCA and Gerakan have reviewed and withdrawn their endorsement of the 17-point Suqiu last August or whether their endorsement is unaffected by the UMNO Youth furore over Malay special rights

(Penang, Sunday): MCA President and Transport Minister, Datuk Seri Dr  Ling Liong Sik yesterday made one of the most extraordinary statements ever issued by a political leader in the history of Malaysian politics.

He asked all quarters, including Suqiu or the Malaysian Chinese  Organisations Election Appeals Committee, to heed Prime Minister Datuk  Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad's 43rd Merdeka Day Message and its reminder against inflaming racial sentiments as it was "for the  good of all communities in the country and for the sake of national stability".

Ling is the first MCA leader to praise Mahathir’s for his 43rd Merdeka Message which likened the Suqiu Committee to the extremist and fanatical  Al-Ma’unah movement  which brutally tortured and murdered two security personnel after the Grik arms heists and to those of the "communists in the past" for "fanning racial sentiments", when  it had  had been regarded as most outrageous, unbecoming of the Prime Minister because of the  baseless comparisons and highly detrimental to the cause of national unity not only by the Malaysian Chinese but by all right-thinking Malaysians regardless of race.

Ling said Malaysia's plural society of multi-racial, multi-religious and  multi-cultural citizens required all quarters to exercise restraint when dealing with sensitive issues.

He said:

"We should show sensitivity and abstain from making statements before fully discerning any particularly sensitive matter."

Bernama reported that when asked on Suqiu's plan to see Mahathir on the issue, Ling said:

"This is  something good. But it depends on whether the prime minister has the time  to see them."

 "This is up to them."

Ling is now blaming Siqiu for not exercising restraint and publicly raising sensitive issues  which should only be raised "at a proper forum with suitable persons".

How can Ling blame Sique for insensitivity when together with Gerakan President, Datuk Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik and SUPP Deputy President, Datuk Law Hieng Ding Liong Sik publicly announced full endorsement of the 17-point Suqiu on August 17 last year, and after the Cabinet meeting of Sept. 22, announced that the Suqiu had been "accepted in principle" by the Cabinet?

Did Ling realise that what he said yesterday was an indictment of his political insensivity in giving public endorsement to Suqiu?  Is this what Ling meant with his statement yesterday?

In evading the  question whether Suqiu would have to be reviewed, Ling has only highlighted the MCA, Gerakan and SUPP’s full and unconditional endorsement of Suqiu last August - whether they stand stand or have been withdrawn.

Ling and Keng Yaik should declare clearly, honestly and unequivocally  whether MCA and Gerakan’s  full and unconditional endorsement of Suqiu last August still stands and  is unaffected by the UMNO Youth furore over Malay special rights or whether MCA and Gerakan have withdrawn or suspended their endorsement of Suqiu to subject it to review as a result of UMNO Youth pressures and Mahathir’s 43rd Merdeka Day Message.
 

(3/9/2000)