Media statement by Lim Guan Eng in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, 9^th May 2011: 

UMNO inspired demonstration in Butterworth shows the dangerous political games of UMNO  

The UMNO inspired demonstration in my constituency of Bagan(Butterworth) yesterday shows that dangerous political games of UMNO in not just opposing a toll-free alternative road that cost less than RM 2.5 million. What is more risky to the country's racial and religious harmony is that these UMNO-inspired demonstrators used the blatant lies that DAP wants to create a Christian state and Prime Minister to condemn me.

It is utterly irresponsible of UMNO to play with fire by spreading such lies through their newspaper Utusan Malaysia just to win Malay support at any cost. Many Christian leaders have expressed utter dismay at these provocative lies and denied vehemently that there are groups of Christian pastors working with DAP to create a Christian state and Prime Minister.

By failing to stop the UMNO-owned Utusan Malaysia from continuing this hate campaign of lies, the BN government is inciting hate against the minority Christian community. DAP express grave concern that this hate campaign against Christians by Utusan Malaysia may not just stop at verbal attacks. The BN government has to bear full responsibility for any undesirable consequences on the Christian community in Malaysia based on Utusan hate campaign of lies.

DAP has reiterated our stand in endorsing the Federal Constitution that Islam is the religion of Malaysia. DAP is opposed to the establishment of any theocratic state from any religion. This position of supporting Islam as stated in our Federal Constitution is even included in the DAP party constitution.

DAP regrets that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has called for calm by promising to investigate the allegations without stating that action would taken against Utusan Malaysia if found to be printing false news. Clearly, the BN government has not only failed to stop Utusan Malaysia from continuing with such baseless attacks but has even encouraged them by promising action against Christian pastors and the DAP if found to be true. Why has the BN government not promised to take stern action against Utusan Malaysia when Utusan's lies are exposed?

Such double-standards by BN leaders lend suspicion that Utusan enjoys full immunity as an UMNO-owned paper to spread dangerous lies and is allowed to conduct its campaign of hate against minority peaceful Christians, who are helpless to defend themsleves.

In the demonstration against me yesterday, UMNO has every right to oppose a toll-free alternative road from Jalan Bagan 29-Jalan Siram that cost much less than the estimated cost of RM 5 million. Through the Penang PR government's famed open tender system, the cost was brought down to RM 3.3 million. The contractor who won the project was a Malay contractor who brought down the cost further by another RM800,000 to RM2.5 million through close monitoring by the Penang State EXCO member YB Lim Hock Seng.

This is a classic case of a state government project costing less than than the awarded tender price that would never happen in a BN state, which would invariably cost more than the tendered price. Further the contractor doing the project is a Malay, proving that not only can a Malay contractor compete under the open tender system but that the Penang PR government gave a majority of government contracts to Malays.

It is regrettable that UMNO opposes a free alternative road but has never organised a demonstration against a tolled road. This is the essential difference between BN and PR. BN wants to build toll roads to collect money from the public without providing any free alternative roads. PR wants to provide an alternative toll-free road.

BN and UMNO has every right to protest and oppose the PR state government building this toll-free alternative road in Jalan Bagan(Butterworth). This is essentially a difference of principle and nation-building policy between BN and PR.

However, no one has a right to run a campaign based on lies and UMNO has no right to protest against something that is just not true. Or else where would this end? If our country is built on lies, then collapse is certain.

Malaysians regardless of race and religion must stand up together against UMNO and Utusan Malaysia who are playing with fire and are ready to burn 1Malaysia with the racist agenda of 1 Melayu/1 bumi, 1 Cina of MCA or 1 India of MIC.

*Lim Guan Eng, DAP Secretary General & MP for Bagan