(Petaling Jaya, Monday): Utusan Malaysia today carried a defamatory report in page 5 under the heading "DAP tidak mungkin dapat cabar BN". I hold Utusan Malaysia and Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd fully responsible for this defamatory report and I have referred the report to my lawyers for action.
It is clear the some Barisan Nasional leaders are very disappointed that the DAP 12th National Congress had not fulfilled their deepest wishes - which is to allow the turmoil and anarchy in the DAP to continue, with public confidence in the purposefulness, unity, discipline, cohesion and vision of the DAP leadership plunging to new depths in the coming months and destroying all remaining public respect for the credibility and integrity of the DAP leadership.
Instead, the DAP delegates at the National Congress made the mature and wise decision that there must be a clean and total end to the worst DAP crisis in 32 years by electing new CEC completely united in the sense of purpose and commitment on the one and only one overriding priority of the DAP - how it could fully commit its energies and resources to create a New DAP to build a New Malaysia, the first step being the denial of the Barisan Nasional’s two-thirds parliamentary majority in the coming general elections.
This explains the completely unprovoked outburst by the Gerakan President and Primary Industries Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Lim Keng Yaik in Kulai yesterday, calling on voters to reject the DAP and vote Barisan Nasional in the next general elections.
Keng Yaik said there was no reason for voters to vote for the DAP in the coming general elections. The Gerakan President has not learnt the lessons for the devastating defeat of the Gerakan in the Teluk Intan parliamentary by-election in May 1997 - creating a Richter-6 political earthquake.
I have no objections if Keng Yaik wants to continue to sleep-walk into the next general elections.
(24/8/98)