Media Statement (2) by Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Monday, 11^th May 2009: 

Najib’s open mind to resolve Perak crisis with Pakatan Rakyat leaders “refreshing” coming from a person who had tied the knot and who have to untie it or cut the Gordian knot

At a media conference in Alor Setar on Saturday, I said that the time had come for the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak to meet with Pakatan Rakyat leaders to resolve the three-month-long Perak constitutional and political impasse so that Malaysians in Perak and the country can focus single-mindedly on tiding the nation through the world’s worst economic crisis in a century.

This had become imperative after the May 7 Day of Infamy which brought unprecedented international shame to Malaysia as a modern and developed country not only by the trampling of human rights and the rule of law in the gross abuse of police powers in the completely unjustifiable lock-down of Ipoh but also in the flagrant violation of the doctrine of separation of powers highlighted by the photographs and video clips flashed around the world of the Perak Speaker, V. Sivakumar in Speaker robes and in Speaker Chair being bodily dragged out of the Legislative Assembly.

The image that the May 7 Day of Infamy projected to the world is that Perak and Malaysia are degenerating into failed states like Zimbabwe, Somalia and Congo in Africa rather than a nation aspiring to first-world developed-nation status.

This was why my first reaction to the scandalous spectacle not only of two Mentris Besar but also two Speakers and two Assemblies in Perak, and the physical removal of the Speaker – the most shameful episode in the history of parliamentary democracy, not only in Perak, Malaysia but also the world - was to point out that the biggest casualty of all was Najib’s “1Malaysia” slogan, which had been “shredded into smithereens” by the May 7 Day of Infamy.

Is it any wonder that Najib’s 1Malaysia could not produce resonance or inspire meaning among Malaysians, as all the people see is 1Divided Malaysia, even 1Black Malaysia. How can there be 1Malaysia when he had played the most critical role in ensuring that there is no 1Perak?

The maltreatment of the Perak Speaker is all the more unacceptable as it happened at a time when Malaysia is Chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association – with Malaysia reduced to a laughing-stock in world parliaments when we should be at the acme of international parliamentary reputation.

I do not know whether Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal is going to resign in shame as Chairman of the worldwide Commonwealth Parliamentary Association but Perakians and Malaysians have to hold their heads in shame at the May 7 Day of Infamy.

I have been receiving a lot of mail from Malaysians outraged that Malaysia is becoming a failed state, with ordinary Malaysians suffering from endemic crime, pregnant women being killed by snatch theft killers, young girls raped in daylight when taking taxies, while massive police are deployed not to ensure the safety of citizens and visitors but the political security of Barisan Nasional politicians.

This letter from Azmin Ahmad Hasmat Ali is one such letter:

Dear YB Lim,

It's time we as Malaysian, stop politicking at pool our strength and address the things that matters.

I read with great sadness and dismay the report below on NST online. While the politicians are busy fighting each other on petty one-upmanship, a poor your girl’s life has been ruined....permanently.

(This is the case of a 17-year-old girl in Subang Jaya who wanted to go from SS14 to SS15 to meet a friend, but the short trip turned into a nightmare when she was assaulted and raped by a taxi driver.)

Why can't the leaders who the rakyat elected, get on with their job?

Is it too hard to expect that our citizens are fundamentally safe?

How many more cases of rape, snatch theft, crime must we read before any action is taken.

Let's rise above stupidity of who said what, and who is more religious than the other.

Spare a thought for the young girl below.

I am sad to be a Malaysian. No...I am utterly ashamed to be a Malaysian because we have failed to protect our citizens. We have failed and we need leadership....decisive leadership to move us out of this darkness of hate, crime and jealousy.

Are there any good leaders out there? Will someone step up??

It is indeed time that all leaders, whether Barisan Nasional or Pakatan Rakyat, listen and respond to these cries and outrages from the people.

I find Najib’s open mind to resolve Perak crisis with Pakatan Rakyat leaders “refreshing” coming from a person who had tied the knot and who have to untie it or may even to cut the Gordian knot to end the debilitating political and constitutional crisis in Perak which has become a national and even international problem for Malaysia.

Nobody is talking about the formation of a coalition government between Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat to resolve the three-month-long political and constitutional crisis, which had also undermined the credibility and public confidence of important national institutions like the Police, the Election Commission, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Agency, the Judiciary and the Monarchy.

But a solution must be found, based on fully respecting the sovereign rights of the voters of Perak to elect the government of their choice – to end the haemorrhage of the credibility and confidence in governance in Perak and Malaysia.

I will discuss with Pakatan Rakyat leaders on Najib’s preparedness to have an open mind on the matter and will then contact the Prime Minister.

I should have something to announce when I attend the public forum “May 13 to 1Malaysia – Future of Nation Building” at the Petaling Jaya Civics Centre on Wednesday night (May 13) in conjunction with the “May 13” 40^th anniversary.

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