DAP calls for emergency Parliament for a motion of confidence in Mahathir as Prime Minister as the most effective way to address  the deepening twin  political and economic crises


Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang  

(Petaling Jaya, Thursday): All the other Barisan Nasional component party leaders, like MCA President, Datuk Seri Dr. Ling Liong Sik, Gerakan President, Datuk Dr. Lim Keng Yaik and MIC President Datuk S. Samy Vellu have given full support to the sacking of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister on the ground that this was the prerogative of the Prime Minister.

It is of course the prerogative of the Prime Minister to appoint or dismiss any Cabinet Minister, but such a prerogative must be exercised in a manner which would not erode public confidence in the government and even more important, cause a major setback to confidence-restoration efforts which is a precondition for the success of any economic revival plan to overcome the 14-month long worst economic crisis in the nation’s history.

The  sacking of Anwar Ibrahim as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister has far-reaching implications for the economic  and political future of the country - whether Malaysia will be able to overcome the worst economic crisis in the nation’s history in the shortest possible time or whether the economic crisis will be very much more drawn-out and painful for Malaysians; whether there is going to be greater democratisation, accountability and transparency  in public life or the reverse, as there is now talk of plans for a major crackdown on democratic freedoms and human right as a second Operation Lalang of mass arrests under the Internal Security Act; and whether Malaysia is heading towards the development of a vibrant civil society or the exact opposite, the stifling and stunting of the development towards a civil society!

An economic crisis is finally a political crisis, but in Malaysia, we are having a full-blown political crisis after 14 months of a worsening economic crisis.

DAP calls for the convening of an emergency Parliament next week to urgently address the deepening twin economic and political crises, and the most effective step is for a motion of confidence in Mahathir as Prime Minister to be moved in the Malaysian Parliament.

(3/9/98)


*Lim Kit Siang - Malaysian Parliamentary Opposition Leader, Democratic Action Party Secretary-General & Member of Parliament for Tanjong