Death threat with
two bullets sent to DAP Tanjong MP must be condemned in the strongest
possible terms and should be powerful reminder that triad politics or "black
gold" politics should not be allowed to take root in Malaysia
Media Conference Statement
by Lim Kit Siang
(Penang,
Sunday):
The death threat with two bullets sent to DAP MP for Tanjong, Chow Kon Yeow,
must be condemned in the strongest possible terms and must be allowed no
place in a parliamentary democracy which believes in the rule of law.
I would call on the person who sent the threatening death note with two
bullets to Chow to relent and repent, and realize that this is a completely
unacceptable conduct in our society. There can be no tolerance in our
society for anti-social conduct not only of taking the law into one's own
hands, but to kill or maim to frustrate an elected representative from
discharging his duties to his electorate and the people to ensure a better
quality of life.
The death threat with two bullets sent to Chow must therefore be condemned
unreservedly. It should also serve as a powerful reminder that triad
politics or "black gold" politics which had recently become the talk of the
country should not be allowed to take root in Malaysia.
Is there "black gold" politics in Malaysia - the curse of Taiwan politics
arising from the fusion of organized crime with the politics of money to
corrupt the political system, the economic order, the rule of law and social
justice in the country?
The Deputy Youth and Sports Minister and MCA Youth leader, Datuk Ong Tee
Kiat, said yes, that there is the terrible "black gold" politics in MCA and
that he has all the evidence to prove it. However, he is not prepared to
name names or give the evidence to the MCA leadership as there is "no
guarantee of personal safety".
On Friday, Ong said he had submitted evidence of his allegation of "black
gold" politics in MCA to the Acting Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi.
If it is true that Ong had submitted evidence of "black gold" politics in
MCA to Abdullah, then the subsequent chain of events called for explanation.
As Acting Prime Minister, Abdullah is neither the investigatory nor law
enforcement arm of the government. If he had been provided with evidence of
serious crimes in the country - and there could not be more serious crimes
than "black gold" politics in any country where triads corrupt the political
system, the economic order, the rule of law and social justice in the
country - then he should immediately refer them either to the police or the
Anti-Corruption Agency for the most thorough investigation and severe action
to be taken to clean root them out of the body politic.
But Abdullah has not done this. Instead, his public directive to the MCA
President, Datuk Seri Dr. Ling Liong Sik to resolve the MCA crisis
immediately has been used by the two MCA factions to justify their
respective positions - including to condone and cover-up "black gold"
politics.
The DAP is not interested in the various turns and twists of the MCA power
struggle between its "A" and "B" factions but all Malaysians must be
concerned as to how the serious allegation of "black gold" politics in MCA
and Malaysia, which Ong said he could fully substantiate if his personal
safety is guaranteed, is handled by the highest authorities - as it will be
a test-case of whether high-level corruption would be combated without
compromise.
In view of the seriousness of the matter, Abdullah should make a ministerial
statement in Parliament tomorrow on "black gold" politics in MCA, especially
as there is the question in many Malaysian minds as to whether the Acting
Prime Minister is either condoning or involved in a "cover up" of "black
gold" politics in Malaysia, despite being given all the proof and evidence
by Ong Tee Kiat.
Ong made very serious allegations of grand corruption, grave ethical
breaches and abuses of power on Friday, that he did not commit the three
offences - selling classified information to foreign businessmen for
personal profit, being a permanent resident of a foreign country even before
he was appointed deputy minister and having assets worth hundreds of
millions of ringgit. (New Straits Times 15.3.03)
Malaysians now know that Ong was referring to MCA Wanita chief Datuk Dr. Ng
Yen Yen on the permanent resident allegation. The MCA deputy president Datuk
Seri Lim Ah Lek has owned up that Ng had misled the MCA and the government
in claiming that she was no more a permanent resident of Australia when she
was appointed as Senator in 1993.
As Ah Lek has conceded, the appointment of a Senator who is a PR in a
foreign country "brings disrepute to the Senate" and in her particular case,
also to the Pahang exco and to the Pahang legislative assembly as her
senatorial appointment was from the Pahang quota.
Malaysians want to know how the government and MCA propose to deal with such
grave ethical breaches and to give a satisfactory accounting on this episode
after its expose.
The next question is: Who are the MCA leaders implicated in the other two
allegations: who sell information to foreign businessmen for personal profit
and who have assets worth hundreds of millions of ringgit!
Has Abdullah been given information and evidence to substantiate these two
other allegations, and if so, is he is condoning them or involved in their
"cover-up"?
(16/3/2003)
*
Lim Kit Siang, DAP National
Chairman
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