Now, Keng Yaik said he had information that the DAP will embark on a
Tanjung Four project in Penang for the general election although
the DAP has made it very clear that there would not be a Tanjong Four project.
Keng Yaik’s credibility this time is the same as when he told the lie in
1990 about the so-called secret DAP-PAS meeting in Jakarta.
Has Keng Yaik so little confidence in the Gerakan Penang Chief Minister
Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon that even without any DAP Tanjung 4 project, the
Gerakan President is afraid that his party would fare badly in Penang in
next election?
Keng Yaik is wrong when he claimed that DAP has been "pushed to a corner" and "hard-pressed" by Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat’s latest statement "that the country’s social problems will be a thing of the past if all Chinese in the country embrace Islam".
Keng Yaik cannot be more wrong. DAP does not have to explain, defend or justify any of Nik Aziz’s statement, as we are fully entitled to state our disagreement if we do not see eye-to-eye with any of his pronouncements.
I am very wary of statements purportedly as having been made by Opposition leaders in the Barisan-controlled mass media, because I have so many times been a victim of their distorted reporting.
However, if Nik Aziz had said that vices such as gambling and
drinking would diminish if a Muslim Chinese became the country’s leader;
that the Chinese community, which was normally associated with such vices,
would stop indulging in these activities when Islam was professed by its
leader; then he is wrong.
These are sweeping generalisations which are not only untrue, but also
cast adverse reflections on the Chinese community and on other religions,
which is something all political leaders in the country should not do.
Nik Aziz should be more sensitive in his statements reflecting directly or indirectly on other communities and religions and he should understand why his remarks had caused offence to other communities and religions.
I am not referring to the "sensitivities" of Keng Yaik or even the MCA President, Datuk Seri Dr. Ling Liong Sik, both of whom after many years in the Cabinet have totally lost the normal sensitivities of Malaysians except for "perverted sensitivities" to distort and exploit issues to try to gain political mileage against the DAP.
It is such "perverted sensitivities" which has led Liong Sik to allege
that Nik Aziz had said that he would deregister all Barisan Nasional parties
if he becomes
prime minister.
Liong Sik went one step further and tried to launch a scare campaign by suggesting that Nik Aziz could become the next Malaysian Prime Minister, when Nik Aziz had not stood for parliamentary election for the last three general elections.
A week ago, I asked Liong Sik to substantiate his allegation that Nik Aziz had said that he would deregister all Barisan Nasional parties if he becomes prime minister in the next election.
If Liong Sik can prove that Nik Aziz had made such a statement, I will support the MCA President and declare that Nik Aziz is wrong and that his statement cannot be supported. If Liong Sik cannot substantiate his allegation, would he have the humility and decency to publicly apologise to Nik Aziz for the untruth?
I am still waiting for Liong Sik’s response.
(12/10/99)