Media statement by Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, 12^th June 2011: 

Motion to set up Opposition-headed Committee of Inquiry into Taib Mahmud’s “grand corruption” allegations should be first item of new Sarawak State Assembly business

In Sibu yesterday, I had suggested that Sarawak Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud should go on a leave of absence until the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has cleared him of grave “grand corruption” allegations as otherwise it would a shame to Sarawak and Malaysia to have a state Chief Minister actively under MACC investigations following international pressures.

Will Taib go voluntarily on a fairly extended “leave of absence” until he is cleared of “grand corruption” allegations not only inside the country but internationally to the extent that it has become a diplomatic scandal with the Swiss Federation President Micheline Calmy-Rey forwarding information about Taib's assets in Switzerland to its regulatory body Finma (the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority) for investigation?

The answer must be a categorical no as this will be against the entire history, culture and tradition of accountability and responsibility of the Barisan Nasional leadership whether at national or state levels – as it is no exaggeration to say that the two words “accountability” and “responsibility” simply do not exist in their political dictionaries apart from for sloganising purposes.

If Talib is not prepared to go on leave of absence on his own, the newly-elected Sarawak State Assembly has a very onerous responsibility to history at its first meeting in a week’s time.

A newly-elected Sarawak State Assembly conscious of its historic responsibility to the state, future generation of Sarawakians as well as history, would do at least two things as its first items of business, viz:

1. Motion for Sarawak State Assembly to decide whether Taib should take “leave of absence” until fully cleared of grave “grand corruption” allegations both in the country as well as internationally; and

2. Motion to set up Opposition-headed Committee of Inquiry into Taib’s “grand corruption” allegations comprising equal number of Assembly representatives from both Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat.

Will there be any Barisan Nasional State Assembly representative who dare to bite the bullet and support anyone or both these motions to demonstrate that the interests of the people and state must override that of any one person – even if he is Taib Mahmud.

*Lim Kit Siang, DAP Parliamentary Leader & MP for Ipoh Timor