Media Statement (3) by Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Wednesday, 29^th July 2009: 

Is Ong Tee Keat just “crying wolf” in the MCA “Ong-Chua” power struggle or is his revelation of death threat to him and BN-underworld politico-business “dark forces” compromising Cabinet decision-making for real?

MCA Vice President and Health Minister, Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai thinks he is being smart when he is being downright foolish.

He thought he had found a very clever way to respond to my lodging a police report on Monday to protect Ong Tee Keat’s life from death threat revealed repeatedly in the public by the MCA President himself.

What Liow does not seem to be able to grasp is that my police report is not just to protect the life of the MCA President, but that of a Minister and all members of the Cabinet as Ong had revealed multiple serious crimes being committed not only because of the death threat to him but also about “dark forces” of politico-business underworld combined with Barisan Nasional elements to compromise and suborn government decision-making process all the way to the Cabinet.

It is therefore not just a matter of concern solely to MCA leaders and members but a public issue concerning the integrity of the government and Cabinet which must be the concern of every public-spirited Malaysian citizen.

Why is Liow completely unconcerned that Ong has received a death threat and Ong’s serious allegation of “dark forces” of politico-business underworld and Barisan Nasional elements to coerce and arm-twist Cabinet Ministers?

Has Liow information that all this is just a big bluff, that what Ong said was untrue and just propaganda in the “Ong-Chua” power struggle in MCA, and need not be taken seriously as far as personal security is concerned?

If so, what Ong had done is the height of irresponsibility and Ong should apologise to the people and nation for such irresponsible and despicable conduct completely unbecoming of a MCA President and Cabinet Minister. In fact a MCA President and Cabinet Minister who could tell such lies about death threat from the underworld when it was completely untrue should resign forthwith in disgrace!

Liow said Johore MCA is prepared to lodge a police report on behalf of DAP on underworld elements in Johore DAP.

I do not know what the DAP Johore Chairman Dr. Boo Cheng Hau had actually said, but I have told him by phone today that if he had said that there were underworld elements in the DAP, he should lodge a police report. If he had not actually meant that, he should make the necessary clarification.

Unlike the MCA and MCA leaders, the DAP in our 43-year history had nothing to do with underworld elements as we derive our support fully and completely from the people.

MCA is different. After all, it was Ong when he was MCA Youth chief who publicly made the allegation in 2003 about “black gold” politics in MCA, and in particular that certain MCA leaders had connections with triad characters and that there were even MCA leaders with “triad” backgrounds.

“Black gold” politics is no ordinary criminality involving a few individuals but a national and systemic curse and threat to society as it is a fusion of organized crime with corruption to subvert the political system, economic system, the rule of law and social justice.

Has “black gold” politics in MCA degenerated to a state that the MCA President and Cabinet Minister could be threatened with death by the underworld and the integrity of the Cabinet compromised with the suborning of its decision-making process?

Let Ong and Liow tell Malaysians – is Ong’s allegations of death threat and underworld-BN politico-business “black gold” phenomenon for real or is Ong just crying “wolf”?

*Lim Kit Siang, DAP Parliamentary leader & MP for Ipoh Timor