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Abdul Kadir should be replaced as 2003 National Day Celebrations organizing committee unless he  withdraws and apologises for his totally unwarranted,   gratuitous and offensive attack on the patriotism of Malaysian Chinese Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang (Penang,  Tuesday): The Minister for Culture, Arts and Tourism, Datuk Kadir bin Haji Sheikh Fadzir, should be replaced as the 2003 National Day Celebrations organizing committee chairman unless he  withdraws and apologises for his totally unwarranted, gratuitous and offensive attack on the patriotism of the Malaysian Chinese.  It is most shocking that the love, loyalty and patriotism of  the Malaysian Chinese for the country should be openly doubted and questioned  by Abdul Kadir, who alleged yesterday that the Malaysian Chinese lack patriotism and are ungrateful, claiming as evidence the failure of his committee’s “Raise-the-Jalur-Gemilang” campaign among the Malaysian Chinese.  Abdul Kadir’s baseless attack on the patriotism of the Malaysian Chinese is unacceptable for three reasons:  The loyalty, patriotism and contributions of the Malaysian Chinese for the development  and prosperity of modern-day Malaysia is indisputable and equal to none, and cannot be questioned or challenged by any Barisan Nasional Minister; The attack on the Malaysian Chinese for being “ungrateful” is doubly galling  when it was the Chinese voters who had been largely responsible for ensuring that the Barisan Nasional was returned to power with a two-thirds parliamentary majority in the 1999 general election as well as  ensuring Abdul Kadir’s re-election in the Kulim-Bandar Baharu parliamentary seat with a reduced 8,067-vote majority; This is the second National Day after the 1999 general election that the love, loyalty and patriotism of the Malaysian Chinese to the country had been questioned -  the first time by Abdul Kadir’s brother, UMNO Youth deputy leader, Datuk Abdul Aziz Sheikh Fadzir, who led an  abusive and gangsterish  UMNO Youth demonstration at the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall before the 2000 National Day celebrations  threatening   to "burn down" the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall over the Suqiu election appeals before the general election. It is sad that when the visiting German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder could yesterday suggest Malaysia acting as a bridge between civilizations, we have a Cabinet Minister questioning the basis for such a role by  doubting the love, loyalty and patriotism of Malaysian Chinese to the country. Is Abduk Kadir another example of the “First World Infrastructure, Third World Mentality” Malaysian malaise and the ugly Malaysian  that had been so brilliantly dignosed by the Prime Minister-in-waiting, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in March? The Cabinet next Wednesday should censure Abdul Kadir for his unwarranted,   gratuitous,  offensive and “ungrateful”  attack on the patriotism of Malaysian Chinese, and demand his unconditional withdrawal of the statement and apology, failing which he should be replaced as Chairman of the 2003 National Day Celebrations organizing chairman as he has proved himself to be totally unsuitable  for the task by  importing a most divisive element into this year’s repeat of the National Day  theme of “Keranamu Malaysia”. It is not just MCA, Gerakan and SUPP Ministers of Chinese ethnic descent who should censure Abdul Kadir for his offensive and “ungrateful”  statement, but all Cabinet Ministers regardless of race or political party, as this is an issue which concerns all Malaysians  and not just one community in the country. (13/5/2003) * Lim Kit Siang, DAP National Chairman