Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Friday, 8^th May 2009: 

May 7 is the Day of Infamy for Perak and Malaysia

May 7 is the Day of Infamy for Perak and Malaysia.

The Barisan Nasional used the law of the jungle to completely undermine parliamentary democracy, the rule of law and the doctrine of separation of powers to add another ignominous chapter to the unethical, undemocratic, illegal and unconstitutional power grab in Perak on Feb. 5, 2009, foisting on the people of Perak two Perak Assembly Speakers and even two Assemblies, as if the three-month-long constitutional crisis of two Mentris Besar is not outrageous enough.

Never before in the 52 year history of the nation has there been a more shameful episode as what happened yesterday.

The sight of the legitimate and lawful Perak Speaker, V. Sivakumar physically dragged out of the Perak State Assembly still in his Speaker seat stands as an indictment of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak who orchestrated the Perak “coup d’etat”, the usurper and illegitimate Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Zambry Abdul Kadir and now usurper and unlawful Perak Speaker, Datuk R. Ganesan.

These three should hold their heads in shame for bringing Perak and Malaysia to such a disgraceful depth. As a result of the Day of Infamy, the credibility, integrity and legitimacy have plunged to an even lower ebb.

The police arrest of 69 people, including five Members of Parliament and five State Assembly representatives from the Pakatan Rakyat in the police lockdown of Ipoh, was a gross abuse of police powers and the height of irresponsibility – when ordinary Malaysians are living in fear of endemic crime, illustrated by deaths of two pregnant snatch theft victims within 72 hours.

Jamilah Selamat, 31, who was two months pregnant and four-month pregnant Saripah Mohd Nor were killed in two separate incidents when their bags were snatched while they were on motorcycles. Jamilah died of severe head injuries when her head hit a pavement upon falling off the motorcycle in Batu Pahat and Saripah was knocked down by a car after falling off her motor cycle in Kota Bahru.

The Day of Infamy in the Perak State Assembly yesterday has made a total mockery of and pulverized Najib’s motto of “1Malaysia. People First. Performance Now.”

All Malaysians should keep the photographs of the outrage of the Perak Speaker being physically dragged out of the Perak Assembly by police officers and goons and demand accountability by Barisan Nasional leaders from Umno, MCA, Gerakan and MIC as to why they have brought such infamy to Perak and Malaysia.

The Day of Infamy can only be wiped out by the people of Malaysia.

Malaysians should not only keep the photographs but also the video clips of the Day of Infamy available on my blog, to remember that they must use their democratic rights to wipe out such infamy in Perak and the country.

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