Media conference statement (2) by Lim Kit Siang in Miri on Sunday, 10^th April 2011 at 12 noon: 

Warning to Najib not to discredit RCI by setting one to serve dishonourable and selfish political objectives and challenge to set up 5 RCIs on pressing issues of public importance

The Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak must be warned that he should not discredit the concept of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI), which is an important device to establish government transparency, integrity and good governance, as by setting one to serve dishonourable and selfish political objectives as into the Carcosa sex video tape scandal.

Under the Barisan Nasional, public confidence in more and more key national institutions and concepts have plunged to unprecedented lows, whether it be the judiciary, the elections commission, the police, the anti-corruption agency.

All efforts by Najib under his 1Malaysia Government Transformation Programme (GTP) in the past two years had failed to check the rot as things have got worse instead of better.

For instance, in a matter of two years, the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has proved to be an even greater failure than its predecessor, the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) in securing public confidence in its efficiency, independence and professionalism in combating corruption, particular the “grand corruption” of political “sharks” and their cronies despite getting more powers, funds and staffing from Parliament.

Now, Malaysians don’t even trust the MACC with their personal safety after the scandalous tragedies of Teoh Beng Hock who fell to his death from the 14th floor of MACC headquarters in Shah Alam on July 16,2009 and Ahmad Sarbani Mohamad who fell to his death from the third floor of MACC office in Jalan Cochrane, Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.

It will a real national tragedy if the RCI concept is discredited because it is abused to serve dishonourable political objectives to attack opponents in the political arena, as in the Carcosa sex video tape scandal, instead of serving national or public purpose.

The real issue of national public importance in the Carcosa sex video tape scandal is why after three weeks, the three persons constituting “Datuk T” have not been arrested and charged in court for offences under the Penal Code and Film Censorship Act when they had admitted to the crimes in the cloak-and-dagger illegal screening of offensive videotape in Carcosa on March 21?

If Najib continues to ignore the failure of the Attorney-General and the Police to uphold the law by failing to arrest and prosecute the three “Datuk Ts”, setting up instead a RCI into the Carcosa sex video tape to pursue a political vendetta against Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, then the biggest casualty will be the entire concept of RCI as an important vehicle to ensure government transparency, integrity and good governance as well as Najib’s 1Malaysia GTP.

Sarawakians and Malaysians are entitled not only to question the motives of Najib, but his fitness to continue as Prime Minister, if he could set up a RCI for the Carcosa sex videotape just for the purpose to persecute and pillory Anwar Ibrahim when there are so many important public issues which deserve RCI treatment.

Since Najib is going to park himself in Sarawak for the state general elections campaign until the very end, I challenge Najib to set up five RCIs which are of great concern and import to the people of Sarawak, viz:

1. RCI into the mysterious death of Sarawak Department of Environment investigating officer Rumie Azzan who fell to his death from the 9th floor of Sarawak Timber Association (STA) in Kuching on 17th September 2004 before 11 am, as his family suspected that he was murdered as he was investigating a major environmental case in the state.

2. RCI into the mountain of allegations of corruption and abuses of power against the Sarawak Chief Minister, Tan Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud

3. RCI as to how in 30 years, Sarawak had degenerated into one of the poorest states in Malaysia when it is one of the richest states in terms of natural resources and yet could produce a Chief Minister who is one of the richest men not only in Sarawak and Malaysia, but the world?

4. RCI into the deteriorating state of religious freedom in Sarawak in the past three decades.

5. RCI into why the hopes and dreams of Sarawakians in the formation of Malaysia 48 years ago in 1963 – that Sarawak can enjoy the full fruits of development comparable to those enjoyed in Peninsular Malaysia – had failed and even causing a major brain drain of Sarawakians whether to other parts of Malaysia or to other countries.

Let SUPP President Tan Sri Dr. George Chan explain whether he dare to support the call to the Prime Minister to announce the establishment of these 5 RCIs during the Sarawak general election campaign?

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