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Speech by Lim Kit Siang at the conference of
Perak DAP State leaders, MPs, State Excos, State Assembly members and
local councillors in Lumut
on Sunday, 3rd August 2008:
Permatang Pauh voters have historic opportunity to create
a mini-political tsunami in the impending by-election with far-reaching
impact to the national political landscape far exceeding the fate of an
individual or constituency
The voters of Permatang Pauh have a historic opportunity to create
a mini-political tsunami in the impending by-election with far-reaching
impact to the national political landscape far exceeding the fate of an
individual or a constituency.
The stakes involved in the Permatang Pauh by-election is not just about
an individual and a constituency but the future of the Malaysian people
and nation.
The issue in the Permatang Pauh by-election is not whether Pakatan
Rakyat leader and Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) adviser Datuk Seri Anwar
Ibrahim can win but whether he can achieve a thumping and landslide
victory with a majority bigger than the 13,388-vote majority won by PKR
President Datuk Seri Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail in the March 8, 2008
general election.
If Anwar can win the Permatang Pauh by-election with an even greater
majority won by Azizah five months ago, despite an even more massive
onslaught by the whole weight of the Barisan Nasional juggernaut, it
would have a special import in shaping the development of the Malaysian
political landscape.
If the voters of Permatang Pauh can speak up on behalf of the people of
Malaysia to express their disgust at the worsening political, economic
and nation-building crisis in the past five months and send a clear and
unmistakable message to the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad
Badawi on the continuing loss of national confidence at his failure to
learn the lessons of the March 8 "political tsunami', then the Permatang
Pauh by-election will assume a far-reaching national importance and not
be about an individual or a constituency.
DAP is fully committed to ensure that the Permatang Pauh by-election can
create a mini-political tsunami with far-reaching implications to the
healthy democratic development of Malaysia.
I call on all Malaysian organisations and individuals to unite behind
the banner of Pakatan Rakyat to ensure that Anwar not only wins the
by-election but with an even greater majority of 13,388 votes won by
Azizah on March 8 to make the Permatang Pauh by-election the most
historic and important by-election in Malaysian history.
*
Lim
Kit Siang, DAP
Parliamentary leader & MP for Ipoh Timor
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