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Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Wednesday, 26th March 2008:
Abdullah has yet to fully come to terms with the March 8 political
tsunami - not that he had �not moved fast enough� in reforms but that he
had hardly moved at all, which is why there can be no political
honeymoon for the second Abdullah Cabinet to implement reforms pledged
four years ago
The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has yet to
fully come to terms with the March 8 political tsunami which swept away
the Barisan Nasional�s hitherto unbroken two-thirds parliamentary
majority and power in five states.
He said yesterday: "The result of the elections was a strong message
that I have not moved fast enough in pushing through with the reforms
that I had promised to undertake.
"I thank the Malaysian people for this message. Point made and point
taken,�
Abdullah�s admission is not assuring enough, as he seems to have missed
the whole point of the March 8 electoral verdict � not that he had �not
moved fast enough� in reforms he pledged more than four years ago, but
that he had hardly moved at all apart from periodically paying
lip-service to them.
This is why there can be no political honeymoon for the second Abdullah
Cabinet to implement what had been pledged four years ago as Malaysians
are entitled to demand that these pledges going back to 2003 and 2004
are implemented without any further delay or hitches.
This is why I had sent an urgent letter to the Prime Minister yesterday
on the eight reforms which the new Cabinet should immediately embrace at
its meeting today to show that the second Abdullah Cabinet is prepared
to respond to the March 8 political tsunami and be on top of the changes
demanded by Malaysians, in particular:
1. Immediate and unconditional release of the five Hindraf leaders,
P. Uthayakumar, newly-elected DAP Selangor State Assemblyman for Kota
Alam Shah M. Manoharan, V. Ganabatirau, R. Kenghadharan and T. Vasantha
Kumar from Internal Security Act (ISA) detention.
2. Restoration of national and international confidence in the
independence, integrity and quality of the judiciary.
3. First-World Parliament - full commitment to comprehensive
parliamentary reform and modernization including live telecast of
parliamentary proceedings, an Opposition Deputy Speaker, an Opposition
MP to head the Public Accounts Committee, ministerial status for
Parliamentary Opposition Leader and a full Select Committee system
headed by Parliamentarians where every Ministry is shadowed by a Select
Committee.
4. All-out drive to eradicate corruption with the elevation of the
Anti-Corruption Agency as an autonomous agency answerable only to
Parliament.
5. Full implementation of the 125 recommendations of the Royal Police
Commission to create an efficient, incorruptible, professional
world-class police service to reduce crime, eradicate corruption and
uphold human rights, particularly the establishment of an Independent
Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC).
6. All-party inquiry to enhance Malaysia�s international competitiveness
including having a world-class education system to enable the country to
successfully face the challenges of globalization.
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Lim
Kit Siang, MP for Ipoh Timor & DAP Central Policy and Strategic
Planning Commission Chairman
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