(Penang, Monday): Gerakan President and Minister for Primary Industries, Datuk Dr. Lim Keng Yaik, said at a Gerakan dinner in Klang over the weekend that the DAP should stay out of the Sungai Bakap by-election to show our support for the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad.
The first question I want to ask Keng Yaik is whether he is afraid of losing in Sungai Bakap by-election when he asked the DAP to stay out of the by-election. When did Keng Yaik become so humble, completely unlike himself during the Teluk Intan parliamentary by-election, when he was so arrogant, regarding the Teluk Intan seat as one which was "unlosable" for the Gerakan and "unwinnable" for the DAP.
Be that as it may, let me assure Keng Yaik that I do not expect any political earthquake in the Sungai Bakap by-election, whether Richter 7 or Richter 6, and he should feel quite at ease as it is unthinkable that the Gerakan could lose in the Penang state by-election on Nov. 8.
However, I am very intrigued why Keng Yaik should openly and publicly ask the DAP to stay out of Sungai Bakap by-election. Is he suggesting that if the DAP contests in the Sungai Bakap by-election, the DAP is being anti-national, disloyal, even "traitorous" and DAP leaders deserve to be detained under the Internal Security Act?
Is Keng Yaik suggesting that a DAP contest in Sungai Bakap would mean that my statements in Parliament about support for the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad were not genuine or sincere?
Keng Yaik may have reasons that I do not know about prompting him to publicly request that the DAP should not contest in the Sungai Bakap by-election, as if it would undermine Mahathir's position as Prime Minister if the DAP should take part in the Sungai Bakap by-election.
I am prepared to meet Keng Yaik to hear him out. If he can convince me that there are indeed good reasons in the interests of the people and nation why the DAP should not contest in the Sungai Bakap by-election, I am prepared to recommend to the DAP Central Executive Committee and the Penang DAP State Committee that they reverse their decision to participate in the Sungai Bakap by-election.
The ball is in Keng Yaik's court.
(27/10/97)