Press Statement

by Lim Guan Eng

(Petaling Jaya, Saturday): DAP condemns the attack committed by a certain individuals on former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir which would have  unfortunate consequences of raising the political temperature not only within UMNO but also the country. DAP fully supports the directive by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi to the police for stern action against those responsible for attacking former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamed with pepper spray.

Whatever disagreements should be limited to verbal clashes and a fair contest of ideas, not degenerate into physical violence. However strongly one feels against or for Tun Dr Mahathir, no one should restrict his right to speak. Even though this is an internal UMNO power struggle, the national implications are far-reaching as can be seen by the gag order placed by Pak Lah on discussions on religious and ethnic issues. Such a gag order would not have been imposed if Pak Lah had not been so weakened by the challenge posed by Tun Dr Mahathir that Pak Lah had to resort to baser instincts and nationalistic politics to strengthen his political base.

DAP strongly opposes the climate of repression on freedom of speech and expression. For a country celebrating its 50^th  Independence celebrations next year, to ban discussions on religious rights affecting non-Muslims, especially Article 11 of the Federal constitution is not only a violation of basic human right but also a betrayal of the 1957 social contract that gave birth to Merdeka and the Federal Consitution.

No right is more fundamental than freedom of speech. Without freedom of speech you can't communicate your ideas and feelings, decry a social injustice, pursue an artistic vision, investigate scientific truth, practice a religion, or criticize government. If freedom of speech is destroyed, self-development is crippled, social progress grinds to a halt, and official lies become the only "truth.". As the French philosopher  Francois Voltaire famously said, "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

DAP urges Pak Lah to revive the liberal climate of his administration, especially on basic human rights accountability and transparency. That is why he must not only allow Mahathir to speak but also reply to his allegations. Lost in the furore of the pepper spray attack on Mahathir, Mahathir made his most serious allegations in Kota Baru when he accused Pak Lah of corruption which benefitted his family members. Mahathir said that,

“there are evidence in the newspapers. For example Scomi (owned by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s son Kamaluddin) gets contracts. ECM-Libra (linked to Abdullah’s son-in-law Khairy Jamaluddin). The finance minister (Abdullah) should not give things to his son-in-law. I was the prime minister for the country not for my family”

Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi must respond to Tun Dr Mahathir most serious allegations of corruption against Pak Lah, that Mahathir was the Prime Minister for the country whereas Pak Lah’s was the Prime Minister of his family. Failure to do so would be the final nail in the coffin of his faltering campaign against corruption, the centerpiece of his administration. As the principal fighter against corruption, Pak Lah can not allow such allegations to go unrebutted or else he will be seen as no different from other UMNO leaders who “cakap tak serupa bikin” in saying one thing but do another.

(29/07/2006)