Media statement by Lim Kit Siang in Tenom on Sunday, 22^nd July 2012: 

Cat out of the bag - UMNO's dirty 4R cards

The cat is out of the bag - UMNO has a quartet of lies on 4Rs on Race, Religion, Malay Rulers and Riots (May 13 threats) to attack DAP and Pakatan Rakyat as the centrepiece of its strategy for the dirtiest general election in history in its increasingly desperate bid to hold on to federal power in Putrajaya in the 13 General Election.

For the past three years, UMNO propagandists through their owned and controlled mainstream media as well as social media and Internet, have been playing the first 3R cards of Race, Religion and Malay Rulers to defame and demonise DAP as anti- Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Malay Rulers but clearly to little effect in this age of information when these are all lies and falsehoods.

Since our formation 46 years ago in 1966, DAP has committed itself to be a political party for all Malaysians irrespective of race, religion or region.

In the first general election contested by DAP in 1969, we fielded Malay candidates and two Malay candidates were successfully elected as State Assemblymen - one from Perak and the other from Negri Sembilan. We have also Malay Members of Parliament, most notably former CUEPACS President Ahmad Nor who was elected MP for Bayan Baru in Penang.

This is also why DAP achieved the distinction of being the first political party to become a Pan-Malaysian party, having branches and operating politically not only in all the states in Peninsular Malaysia but also in Sabah and Sarawak.

This is why UMNO's 3R cards against the DAP for being anti-Malay, anti-Islam and anti-Malay Rulers have neither credibility nor traction.

DAP's support for the system of constitutional monarchy cannot be challenged or doubted for the Common Policy Framework of Pakatan Rakyat clearly and unequivocally committed the three component parties, viz DAP, PKR and PAS to respect, support and uphold the fundamental features of the constitution - including the provisions on Islam as the religion of the Federation of Malaysia and the system of Malay Rulers.

This was also what I stated in Parliament in my first speech in the Dewan Rakyat in February 1971.

Is it because UMNO leaders and propagandists have realised that their 3R cards against the DAP are not achieving the desired political effects that they have come out with the fourth R card of threatening unrest and riots if UMNO and Barisan Nasional lose federal power in the next general election, which is the subtle message of the reference to May 13, 1969 tragedy.

I am still waiting for response from the Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, and the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to my offer at the DAP ceramah at Inaman on Friday night that the Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat co-operate to ensure that there is no repeat if the May 13 tragedy in the next general election.

If Barisan Nasional and Pakatan Rakyat sincerely pledge to co-operate to ensure that there would no repeat of May 13 tragedy in the next general election, it is unthinkable that there could be a repeat of May 13.

Why is the silence from Muhyiddin and Najib if they really do not want any repeat of May 13?

At the DAP ceramah at Kota Belud, I proposed the formation of a National Committee with representatives from all political parties, religions and important NGOs with the common objective to ensure that there would be no repeat of May 13. Let us see how Muhyiddin and Najib, as well as UMNO and BN, would respond to this refined proposal to ensure no repetition of May 13.

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