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DAP calls for a nation-wide  “Tell the truth to the Prime Minister” campaign starting with education and corruption Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang (Petaling Jaya,  Monday): The new Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi yesterday called on Barisan Nasional leaders and members to “tell me the truth”about the problems faced by the people “even if it hurts”.  After chairing his first Barisan Nasional Supreme Council meeting on Friday, Abdullah singled out education and corruption as the two most important issues requiring immediate and full attention of the government.  DAP calls for a nation-wide “Tell the truth to the Prime Minister” campaign starting with education and corruption. On education, Malaysians want an expansion of both quantity and quality of higher education, where there is only one common university entrance examination for the public universities – whether it be a one-year matriculation course or two-year STPM or an entirely  new examination altogether. The government should recognize that  in the new world of  K-economy, higher education is no longer a luxury but essential to national social and economic development, as knowledge will be the key factor driving growth, creating new value and providing the basis to remain competitive. For this reason, Abdullah should rise to the challenge of the K-economy, ICT and globalization with the government declaring and recognizing the right of every Malaysian to tertiary education. There should be a switch in  the focus of the “Malaysia Boleh” spirit from having the tallest building or longest bridge in the world, or being the first Southeast Asian to swim the English Channel which had been conquered by over 600 people, old and young at faster speeds. Instead, Malaysia should demonstrate its “Malaysia Boleh” spirit in gaining  international recognition  of Malaysian universities as world-class universities  as was the case with the University of Malaya in the sixties, before its fall from academic grace. Corruption-wise, Abdullah should hear the truth that Malaysians want a consistent and sustained campaign against corruption which would not lose steam and credibility after one hundred days or six months, as happened in the previous “Berseh, Cekap and Amanah” campaign more than two decades ago, and this is why the government should declare a national objective and National Anti-Corruption Plan for Malaysia  to become internationally recognized as one of the world’s ten least corrupt nations. (10/11/2003) * Lim Kit Siang, DAP National Chairman