Media conference statement by Lim Kit Siang in Kuching on Wednesday, 13^th April 2011 at 11.30 am: 

Wind of Change blowing strong and hard in Sarawak – Sarawakians should write “416” in golden letters on Saturday as latest addition to the political lexicon of numbers of “520”, “308” and ”516” as powerful symbols in the quest for political change in Malaysia

The wind of change is blowing strong and hard in Sarawak. In Kuching, Sibu, Bintangor, Sarikei, Bintulu and particularly Miri as well as all over the state, there can be no mistaking the deep and powerful yearning of the Sarawakians for political change.

I am particularly impressed by the awakening of the people of Miri, who after allowing Kuching and Sibu to lead political change in the past few decades, seemed to have galloped, almost overnight, to the very forefront to join and lead the quest for political change not only in Sarawak but also Malaysia.

I call on the voters of Sarawak on Saturday to write “416” in golden letters as the latest addition to the political lexicon of numbers as powerful symbols in the quest for political change in Sarawak and Malaysia.

Let Saturday, April 16, go down in Sarawak and Malaysian history as another major milestone in the battle to establish “People’s Power” and reclaim the birthright of all Sarawakians and Malaysians to be full, equal and free citizens of this land entitled to all the fundamental rights promised when this nation was founded and enshrined in the constitution, including freedom of religion, rule of law, human rights, good governance, high quality of life and a just and prosperous society!

The Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak has also turned the Sarawak state general election into a national general election by “closing down” Putrajaya for six days and directed his entire Cabinet to plunge into the election campaign in Sarawak.

Polling day on April 16 has therefore become not only an inquest into the 30-year rule of Peh Moh in Sarawak but Najib’s two-year Prime Ministership.

This is why MCA led by its President Datuk Seri Dr. Chua Soi Lek and Gerakan’s Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon are in Sarawak to try to “save” Tan Sri Dr. George Chan and the other SUPP leaders – not for the sake of SUPP or Taib but for the sake of UMNO and Najib!

I can sense the outrage of SUPP founders and old members who in the fifties, sixties and seventies had utter contempt for MCA and Gerakan leaders and principles – but now George Chan and his 2011 band of SUPP leaders hope to be “saved” by MCA’s Chua Soi Lek and Gerakan’s Koh Tsu Koon when these two leaders cannot save their own parties in Peninsular Malaysia!

Let Sarawak voters write “416” in golden letters to join the trio of “520” (the Sarawak general elections on 20^th May 2006 which administered the first shock to Taib), “308” (the political tsunami of March 8, 2008 general elections building on “520”), “516” (the May 16, 2010 Sibu by-election) to form the political lexicon of the quartet of numbers in the quest for political change in Malaysia – 520, 308, 515 and 416!

If on April 16, the voters of Sarawak vote in clear and unequivocal terms for Peh Moh to go (dismissing in contempt his promise to step down as Chief Minister in “a few years”), and signifying to Najib that his signature 1Malaysia policy is a sham degenerating into a “1 T-shirt, 1Tupperware” circus, then “416” will presage a greater Malaysian political tsunami in the 13th national elections where more states could fall to Pakatan Rakyat – and even the Putrajaya seat of federal power.

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