Media statement by Lim Kit Siang in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, 1^st July 2012: 

Utusan Malaysia living up to its reputation as “lies-paper”

Utusan Malaysia is living up to its reputation as “lies-paper” when its Awang Selamat in Mingguan Malaysia today alleged “Lim Kit Siang adalah antara orang kepercayaan Kuan Yew ketika dalam PAP. Beliau juga adalah bekas Setiausaha Akhbar Kuan Yew sewaktu zaman muda nya.”

These are downright lies, as I was never ever involved in PAP during my years as a reporter in Singapore from 1961-1964, although I was active in Singapore National Union of Journalists, serving as its Secretary-General 1962-1963.

Furthermore, I was never press secretary to Kuan Yew although I worked for a period in the press section of the Ministry of Culture.

But more pertinent than Utusan Malaysia again proving itself to be a “lies-paper” instead of being “newspaper” is the intensification of the unscrupulous and unprincipled campaign of lies, falsehoods and demonization against DAP and Pakatan Rakyat leaders, especially with the realization by the UMNO leaders and strategists that UMNO/Barisan Nasional are not as confident of facing the 13th general election as they had once thought despite the recent boast by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak of a “14-0” BN thrashing for PR!

This has resulted in Najib further putting off the 13th general election date because of his worry that the “RAHMAN” political prophecy might come true – that RAHMAN stands for the first six UMNO Prime Ministers, namely Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Abdul Razak, Tun Hussein Onn, Tun Mahathir, Tun Abdullah and “N” for Najib also signifying the last and “the end” of the UMNO line of Prime Ministers.

Will the 13GE see the beginning of a new line of Malaysian Prime Ministers, starting with Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim?

Najib is neither confident nor certain that this will not be so, or he would have already called for the 13GE.

In desperation, UMNO leaders and strategists including Tun Dr. Mahathir have now resorted to a two-prong offensive – firstly, playing the race card to create racial suspicion and distrust to win the Malay heartland in utter disregard of Mahathir’s Bangsa Malaysia and Najib’s 1Malaysia concepts; and secondly, a vilification and demonization campaign against DAP and Pakatan Rakyat leaders.

The 13GE is going to be the dirtiest general election in the half-century history of the country.

Already, all sorts of lies and falsehoods have been hurled against DAP leaders and this is only the beginning.

For instance, among the terrible and atrocious lies told about the DAP on the Internet and social media when there is no ounce of truth whatsoever include:

• DAP wants to create a Christian Malaysia and make Christianity the official religion;

• Appoint a Christian Prime Minister; and

• Abolish the Sultanate system and establish a republic.

Through the Internet, UMNO/BN cybertroopers spread the vicious lie that I was responsible for the May 13 riots in 1969 and that I had roamed the streets of Kuala Lumpur after the 1969 general election results, hurling anti-Malay abuses resulting in the May 13 riots.

In actual fact, I was never in Kuala Lumpur on May 10, 11, 12 and 13, 1969, something which could be easily verified in the media at the time and by the police records.

I was standing for parliamentary election in Bandar Melaka in 1969 and on the morning of May 13, 1969, I had taken the morning flight to Kota Kinabalu to help in the election campaign of Sabah Independent candidates as polling for Sabah in the 1969 general election was staggered for two weeks after that in Peninsular Malaysia.

But what is even more monstrous is the accusation by UMNO/BN cybertroopers that Lim Guan Eng was also responsible for the May 13 riots of 1969 on the ground that Guan Eng was the DAP Youth leader at the time and was in the forefront of anti-Malay attacks.

This is a triple lie.

Firstly, the DAP was never anti-Malay but was fully committed since our formation in 1966 to be a Malaysian party representing the legitimate rights and interests of all races in the country.

In fact, in 1969 DAP fielded several Malay candidates for parliamentary and state assembly elections and two Malay State Assemblymen were elected on DAP tickets, one in Perak and the other in Negri Sembilan.

Secondly, there was no DAP Youth in l969 as DAPSY (DAP Socialist Youth) was only formed in 1973, and the late P.Patto was the first DAPSY leader.

Thirdly, Guan Eng was only eight years old in May 1969 – and it illustrates how dirty, unprincipled and unscrupulous politics has degenerated in Malaysia in the run up to the next general election that such a despicable and contemptible accusation could be leveled against an eight-year-old child!

Is Najib prepared to fight a clean, free and fair election campaign in the 13GE?

Utusan Malaysia is the official newspaper of UMNO. When is it going to stop being a “lies-paper” and revert to its role as a newspaper as in the first three decades of its history?

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