Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Sunday, 4^th October 2009: 

Najib and Muhyiddin should apologise for Umno’s racist muck-spreading and mud-slinging tactics in Bagan Pinang by-election which make nonsense of the Prime Minister’s 1Malaysia slogan

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said yesterday he was confident that the 1Malaysia vision has spurred the people to a new level of optimism which will translate into a stronger support for Barisan Nasional (BN) in the Bagan Pinang by-election.

However, the muck-spreading and mud-slinging campaign launched by Umno/Barisan Nasional in Bagan Pinang yesterday even before the completion of the nomination process had in one fell swoop exposed the hollowness and hypocrisy of Najib’s 1Malaysia slogan as an overarching unifying national objective.

Two racist books were distributed in the Bagan Pinang constituency inciting communal hatred and animosities against Pakatan Rakyat leaders with scurrilous and baseless allegations about the sidelining and betrayal of the rights and interests of Malays - one entitled “Wajah Sebenar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim: Nasib Orang Melayu Selangor” (The Real Face of Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim: The Plight of the Selangor Malays) and the other “50 Kemusykilan Tentang Manusia Bernama Anwar Ibrahim” (50 Questions on The Man Called Anwar Ibrahim)

Such contemptible and despicable tactics in muck-spreading and mud-slinging makes complete nonsense of Najib’s 1Malaysia slogan to unite Malaysians regardless of race, religion or territory.

Are Najib and Muhyiddin prepared to denounce and apologise for such racist muck-spreading and mud-slinging tactics employed by Umno and Barisan Nasional in the Bagan Pinang by-election?

What is the stand of the leaders from MCA, Gerakan, MIC and other Barisan Nasional component parties on such racist muck-spreading and mud-slinging and are they prepared to fully dissociate themselves from such despicable tactics with unqualified condemnation?

Or will their leaders, whether Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu prefer to keep completely still and silent on such blatant repudiation of Najib’s 1Malaysia slogan?

Or are Umno and Barisan Nasional leaders not really that confident about being able to have an impressive victory in the Bagan Pinang by-election despite fielding Isa Samad as the candidate that they have to resort to such desperate, despicable and disgusting campaigning tactics?

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