Media Conference Statement (2) by Lim Kit Siang in Parliament on
Monday, 1st December 2008:
Muhyiddin�s threat against Zaid Ibrahim
proof that exclusive, intolerant and petty-mindedness displacing
inclusive thinking and greater openness and tolerance in the mindset of
Umno leaders � major setback for Bangsa Malaysia concept
I am surprised by the outburst of the Umno
vice president Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in Kota Kinabalu yesterday,
excoriating former Minister in the Prime Minister�s Department, Datuk
Zaid Ibrahim, for attending an opposition function, accusing Zaid of
�disloyalty to Umno� and demanding an explanation from Zaid or to face
disciplinary reprisals!
I am very disappointed because Muhyiddin is the Minister for
International Trade and Industry as well as the favourite in the contest
for Umno Deputy President and therefore Deputy Prime Minister-designate
next March � and should be an example of inclusive thinking and greater
openness and tolerance instead of being very exclusive, intolerant and
petty-minded in a country we want to market to the world as Instant
Asia!
It is a major setback for the Bangsa Malaysia concept as it illustrates
the sad fact that exclusive, intolerant and petty-mindedness have
displaced inclusive thinking and greater openness and tolerance in the
mind-set of Umno leaders 51 years after Merdeka!
Is �loyalty to Umno� so brittle and fragile that it must be invoked
against any Umno member for attending an opposition function?
I attended the official opening of the new Umno Building at Putra World
Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur in the eighties. Was my �loyalty to DAP� ever
in doubt for attending an Umno function?
Why so childish, petty and narrow-minded when Malaysian leaders should
set an example to the people and the world of our open-mindedness and
tolerance of diverse views coming from a nation where pluralism and
diversity are our most outstanding characteristic and greatest national
asset?
Fortunately, this question of �loyalty to Umno� was not raised when the
Minister in the Prime Minister�s Department, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz
accepted my invitation to a DAP seminar on �Agenda for First-World
Parliament� just before the opening of the 11th Parliament in May 2004.
Why didn�t �loyalty to Umno� become an issue when Nazri attended the DAP
function in 2004 but it has become a big issue four years later over
Zaid�s attending an Opposition function?
Is this a reflection on Zaid, Muhyiddin or UMNO? Is this an indication
that Umno has lost the confidence to rule as compared to four years ago
and that a besieged mentality has taken possession of many Umno leaders?
If Muhyiddin is so swift in issuing an ultimatum to Zaid to question his
�loyalty to Umno� for attending an opposition function, will he be
equally swift in demanding action to be taken against Umno Seberang Jaya
Assemblyman in Penang, Datuk Arif Shah Omar Shah, who was the Barisan
Nasional standard-bearer in the Permatang Pauh by-eleciton, for his
statement in the New Sunday Times yesterday that he was �now at a
crossroads between staying in Umno or joining the Pakatan Rakyat state
government� because of �blatant power abuses� by Umno Permatang Pauh
division leadership?
I was struck by a statement by Umno Youth Leader and Education Minister
Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein when castigating MCA deputy president
Datuk Seri Chua Soi Lek and MCA Wanita chief Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun
for saying that the concept of �ketuanan Melayu� or Malay supremacy was
no longer relevant. (New Sunday Times 30.11.08)
Apart from accusing Chua and Chew for trying to be �heroes� in �jostling
to position themselves politically�, and saying that �the people are
tired of the religious, racial and political issues� after going through
�the toughest general election eight months ago�, Hishammuddin warned
that leaders �still unaware of the changes they have to make and to look
at things in a new context � will be left behind when BN transforms
itself in March�!
What is this �BN transformation in March� that the new MCA top national
leadership and the other BN component parties are completely ignorant
about?
Is it going to be a �BN transformation in March� that is to be solely
and exclusively orchestrated by Umno, with the leaders of the other BN
component parties with the prerogative only to raise their hands to
express compliance?
*
Lim
Kit Siang, DAP
Parliamentary leader & MP for Ipoh Timor
http://dapmalaysia.org