(Petaling Jaya, Monday): Gerakan
President and Cabinet Minister, Datuk Dr. Lim Keng Yaik should tender two public
apologies to the Chinese community and the Malaysian nation for the Gerakan’s
infamous role in the Suqiu controversy - firstly, the fraudulent Cabinet support
for Suqiu before the 1999 general election and secondly, for pressurising the
Suqiu Committee to issue joint statement with UMNO Youth to withdraw seven
of the 83 Election Appeals in January 2001.
As
Keng Yaik is busy spearheading the Barisan Nasional campaign in the Ketari
by-election, it is time for him and Gerakan to atone for their dishonest and
unprincipled role in the Suqiu controversy.
If
Keng Yaik can be a part of the fraud committed by the Barisan Nasional Cabinet
to deceive the Chinese community and the Malaysian nation that the Cabinet fully
supported the Suqiu election appeals, how can the promises of Keng Yaik and
Gerakan in the Ketari by-election be believed or trusted?
After
the 1999 general election, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad,
on behalf of the Cabinet, had repeatedly inside and outside Parliament, even in
the 43 National Day message on 30th August 2000, denounced Suqiu
and its supporters as chauvinist, extremists not different from the communists
or Al-Maunah, claiming that the
Cabinet was forced to accept Suqiu "in principle" as the general
election was approaching.
As
a member of the Cabinet which had committed such a fraud on the Chinese
community and the Malaysian nation claiming to accept “in principle” the
Suqiu election appeals, when it had no such intention, Keng Yaik must tender his
first public apology.
Keng
Yaik however must tender a second public apology over the Gerakan’s
dishonourable role in the Suqiu controversy as it was the Gerakan which played
the key role to pressure the Suqiu
Committee to issue a joint statement with UMNO Youth on 5th January
2001 to “withdraw” or “put
side” seven of the 83 Election
Appeals.
Is Keng Yaik prepared, on the occasion of the Ketari by-election to defend Gerakan’s political credibility and honour, to publicly apologise for Gerakan’s two dishonourable roles in the Suqiu controversy?
(25/3/2002)