Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Thursday, 29^th April 2010: 

Praises for Najib for honouring RM3 million pledge to SRJKC Rasa and Rasa voters for being pioneers of New Politics towards a New Malaysia of justice, freedom, excellence and prosperity while insisting on their rights as citizens and taxpayers

I commend the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak for honouring his RM3 million pledge to SRJKC Rasa for the construction of a new building for the 81-year-old dilapidated school which was made on Hulu Selangor by-election polling eve on Saturday.

I will not quibble that the RM3 million cheque was only handed over to the Chairman of the SRJKC Rasa Ng Tek Kui yesterday when it should have been on Monday as pledged.

Greater praises are in order to the voters of Rasa who have demonstrated that they are worthy pioneers of New Politics in Malaysia to usher in a New Malaysia of justice, freedom, excellence and prosperity for all, regardless of race, religion or region, while insisting on their rights to development as citizens and taxpayers.

In the March 8 “political tsunami” of the 2008 general elections, the successful PKR candidate Datuk Zainal Abidin secured 56.74% of the Chinese votes in Rasa.

Will the Rasa voters be influenced and intimidated by the Prime Minister’s RM3 million carrot-and-stick tactics, resulting in a lower voter turn-out in support of the Pakatan Rakyat candidate, Datuk Zaid Ibrahim as compared to 56.74% polled for Zainal two years ago?

There were three polling streams in Rasa and the results of the voter turn-out in the Hulu Selangor by-election on Sunday are as follows:

Rasa (Hulu Selangor by-election 2010)

As a result, for the Rasa area, Zaid received a massive support of 82.42% of the Chinese voters as compared to 56.74% for Zainal in 2008 – a great tribute to the maturity and political consciousness of the voters of Rasah.

Rasa leads all areas in Hulu Selangor in producing the highest percentage turn-out in support of Pakatan Rakyat candidate, viz:

This is why at the announcement of the DAP/PR candidate for the Sibu parliamentary by-election in Sibu on Tuesday night, I commended the voters of Rasa as a national example for all Malaysian voters in Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak and Sabah as pioneers and leaders of New Politics in Malaysia to create a New Malaysia of justice, freedom, international competitiveness and prosperity for all Malaysians.

At about 1 pm yesterday, Deputy Education Ministers and MCA Youth leader Datuk Wee Ka Siong tweeted to my twitter page: “Hi YB, I m in PM’s ofis for the cheque presentation for Rasa Sch. Interested to join as witness?”

This led me to tweet back: “U think I am Superman can fly? Wld love 2b there if given advance notice. At present at ShahAlam over police killing 14yrold student. U want 2come here?”

When there was no reply, I added another tweet: “Since in PMO ask Najib come 2ShahAlam 2visit Norsiah aggrieved mother #Aminulrasyid n angry neighbours at heinous police killing of student. U r deputy education aren't u?”

I did not get any tweet from Wee for the next 12 hours.

I had in fact together with the Penang Chief Minister and DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng on our return from Sibu rushed straight from the KLCC in Sepang to Section 11 Shah Alam to get first-hand account of the heinous police killing of 14-year-old Aminulrasyid and to express our condolence to the bereaved family and public outrage.

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