DAP calls on Election Commission to convene an urgent all-party meeting to prevent Barisan Nasional and UMNO turning the run-up to general election into a season of lies and falsehoods


Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang
 

(Petaling Jaya, Monday): On Saturday, after the UMNO Supreme Council meeting, the  Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir  Mohamad announced that Umno would immediately launch a large-scale  campaign against lies and accusations spread by the opposition. This is only a euphemism for UMNO and Barisan Nasional to launch a systematic campaign in the country to spread lies and falsehoods about the Opposition.

DAP calls on the Election Commission to convene an urgent  all-party meeting to prevent the Barisan Nasional and UMNO turning the run-up to the general election into a season of lies and falsehoods.

In actual fact, UMNO and Barisan Nasional had already been spreading lies and falsehoods against the Opposition for quite some time.  This is probably what Mahathir meant when he said recently that the next general election would be the dirtiest in history.

In one instance, MCA President Datuk Seri Dr. Ling Liong Sik told the lie that while the DAP publicly declared opposition to PAS’ Islamic State objective, I had quietly gone to see the PAS President  Datuk Fadzil Mohd  Nor to support an Islamic State.  If this is not a lie, I do not know what is.

In another instance, an UMNO leader accused the DAP of being anti-Islam.

It will not only be most sad, but a terrible shame for Malaysia, if the next general election as well as the pre-election run-up degenerate into a season of lies and falsehoods.

The Election Commission, which has the constitutional responsibility to conduct a free and fair general election, should convene an urgent all-party meeting to ensure that both the run-up as well as the campaign proper of the next general election do not degenerate into a season of lies and falsehoods.

(11/10/99)


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