Call on Keng Yaik to tender two public apologies for Gerakan’s infamous role in the Suqiu controversy - the fraudulent Cabinet support before the general election and pressurising Suqiu Committee issue joint statement with UMNO Youth to withdraw seven of the 83 Election Appeals


Media Statement
by Lim Kit Siang

(Petaling Jaya,  Monday): Gerakan President and Cabinet Minister, Datuk Dr. Lim Keng Yaik should tender two public apologies to the Chinese community and the Malaysian nation for the Gerakan’s infamous role in the Suqiu controversy - firstly, the fraudulent Cabinet support for Suqiu before the 1999 general election and secondly, for pressurising the Suqiu Committee to issue joint statement with UMNO Youth to withdraw  seven of the 83 Election Appeals in January 2001. 

As Keng Yaik is busy spearheading the Barisan Nasional campaign in the Ketari by-election, it is time for him and Gerakan to atone for their dishonest and unprincipled role in the Suqiu controversy. 

If Keng Yaik can be a part of the fraud committed by the Barisan Nasional Cabinet to deceive the Chinese community and the Malaysian nation that the Cabinet fully supported the Suqiu election appeals, how can the promises of Keng Yaik and Gerakan in the Ketari by-election be believed or  trusted? 

After the 1999 general election, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, on behalf of the Cabinet, had repeatedly inside and outside Parliament, even in the 43 National Day message on 30th August 2000, denounced  Suqiu and its supporters as chauvinist, extremists not different from the communists or Al-Maunah, claiming  that the Cabinet was forced to accept Suqiu "in principle" as the general election was approaching. 

As a member of the Cabinet which had committed such a fraud on the Chinese community and the Malaysian nation claiming to accept “in principle” the Suqiu election appeals, when it had no such intention, Keng Yaik must tender his first public apology. 

Keng Yaik however must tender a second public apology over the Gerakan’s dishonourable role in the Suqiu controversy as it was the Gerakan which played the  key role to pressure the Suqiu Committee to issue a joint statement with UMNO Youth on 5th January 2001 to “withdraw” or  “put side”  seven of the 83 Election Appeals. 

Is Keng Yaik prepared, on the occasion of the Ketari by-election to defend Gerakan’s political credibility and honour,  to publicly apologise for Gerakan’s two dishonourable roles in the Suqiu controversy? 

(25/3/2002)


*Lim Kit Siang - DAP National Chairman