In the wake of the unprecedented move by the Registrar of Societies (ROS) not to recognize the DAP’s party leadership slate, DAP parliamentary Lim Kit Siang said it is a sad and ominous day for DAP and the nation.

“April 18, 2013 had been the most heart-rending day in my life, the day when the Registrar of Societies dispatched a letter to the DAP to knock out the Rocket symbol from the 13GE, with the Nomination Day less than 48 hours away, completely without any legal basis or plausible ground,” Lim said today in an emotional press conference.

“I was not the only one to shed tears yesterday as all over the country, many DAP stalwarts and supporters who are Malaysian patriots whose home and sole object of loyalty is Malaysia.”

“Malaysians who do not know or recognize another country as their motherland, also cried at the injustice, oppression and iniquity of the ROS action , clearly at the behest of the  political masters in UMNO/Barisan Nasional,” Lim said.

According to Lim, for 47 years DAP had waged a patriotic, nationalistic but uphill battle to build a united, multiracial, just and democratic Malaysian nation with many leaders like Dr. Chen Man Hin, Ahmad Nor, P. Patto, Ibrahim Singgeh, Fadzlan Yahya, Peter Dason, Lau Dak Kee, Lim Cho Hock, V. David, Karpal Singh, Datuk Chian Heng Kai, Chan Kok Kit, Dr Tan Seng Giaw, Lim Guan Eng, Tan Kok Wai, Teresa Kok.

“They have paid a heavy personal price in their love, patriotism and loyalty to Malaysia, including losing their personal liberties enduring detention under the Internal Security Act, imprisonment and disqualification as MP and disenfranchisement of their civil rights such as the right to vote and to stand for elections for a period of time.”

Lim said that DAP leaders and supporters have a different vision for Malaysia from those of the UMNO/Barisan Nasional leaders.

“The greatest difference is whether Malaysia should continue to practise the exclusive politics of race or should begin an inclusive politics for all Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region but their love, loyalty and patriotism for Malaysia cannot be questioned.”

“It is a great test of the maturity of Malaysian nation-building and democracy whether there is room and space in the country’s political process for dissent and diversity of views without equating them with disloyalty, anti-national activities or even treason.”

Lim continued in saying that the ROS action, on the directive of the political masters in Putrajaya, to knock out the Rocket symbol from the 13GE is the most dastardly, oppressive, undemocratic and dishonourable acts of  the 56-year Umno/Barisan Nasional rule.

“It is an act no Malay gentleman-political leaders  like Dato’ Onn Jaffar, Tun Hussein Onn, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Ismail, Tun Razak would would have countenanced  or be a party to as it runs against the very grain of civility and being a gentleman or Jun Zhi,’ a teary-eyed Lim said.

In fact, according to Lim never before under the  five previous Prime Ministers of Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Razak, Tun Hussein, even Tun Mahathir and Tun Abdullah, had any more devious and diabolical plot been hatched in utter disregard of the most rudimentary rules and principles of good and  democratic governance.

This disgraceful ROS gambit to knock out a long-established political party from freely and democratically participating in the general elections of the country by outlawing its symbol, the Rocket logo is most unfortunate, according to Lim.

“Clearly the ROS action is meant to be a blow to the solar plexus to completely knock out the DAP in the 13GE.”

“It’s a plot which had been hatched and refined by the ROS’s political masters in the past few months – explaining the rumours on the MCA/UMNO grapevine since the beginning of the year that the DAP would not be allowed to use the Rocket symbol in the 13GE!”

“Now, we have the MCA President shedding crocodile’s tears, asking that the DAP should be allowed to use the Rocket symbol in the 13GE. I will not be surprised if the MCA leadership is the main culprit behind the ROS decision,” he said exasperatingly.

“They had probably appealed for help from the UMNO “Big Brother” to give a fatal blow to DAP, in the same way that the MCA leadership had surrendered Gelang Patah seat to UMNO so that Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Ghani Othman could be fielded to “kill” me in Gelang Patah.

Lim added that the cacophony of contradictory reports quoting different government officials emitting different noises, from the DAP cannot use the Rocket symbol to the DAP can use the Rocket symbol is most confusing.

He also said that one of the saddest legacies of 56 years of Umno/BN rule is that independent, neutral and professional institutions and government officers have lost public credibility, trust and confidence as.

“This is demonstrated by the ROS letter two days before 13GE Nomination Day declaring that the government does not recognise the DAP’s CEC four months after their election.”

Pointing out that ROS’s action not to recognise the DAP CEC means ““not recognising” the DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng and the collateral consequence of “not recognising” his authorisation of the use of Rocket symbol by the 53 parliamentary and 103 state assembly candidates.”.

“The long decades of undemocratic, draconian and authoritarian Umno/BN rule have destroyed the efficiency, independence and professionalism of one of the best civil services in the world when the country achieved independence 56 years ago in 1957.”

The refusal by ROS to recognise the DAP CEC and consequent disallowance of the use of Rocket in the 13GE is the new and latest reason why Malaysians change the government on May 5, he exhorted.

This is made to restore the reputation, credibility and integrity of the Malaysian civil service as among the top best civil services in the world.

Lim also thanked the PKR and PAS leaders, in particular Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Tok Guru Nik Aziz, Datuk Seri Hadi Awang, PAS Secretary-genral Mustapha Ali and PKR Secrtary-General Saifuddin Nasution  for their understanding, support and comradeship in assisting DAP.

Lim explained that Pakatan Rakyat leaders had sought to register the Pakatan Rakyat as a political coalition under the Societies Act but for was denied for more than three years.

“We encountered seemingly insuperable obstacles, all emanating from BN’s refusal to register Pakatan Rakyat so that PR candidates of all the three political parties, DAP, PAS and PKR cannot use a common symbol.”

“Now the Societies Act and the Registrar of Societies have been suborned and undermined to serve the political interests of the powers-that-be in Umno/BN.”

DAP leaders, candidates, members and supporters, Lim exhorted will not be deterred or demoralised to fight the  great and good fight to achieve a political change at the federal level in the 13GE, even if DAP has to temporarily forgo the Rocket logo and to use the logos of PKR and PAS.

“In fact, we are even more determined to translate our shock and sorrow into strength and power for change.”

“The Rocket symbol had stood tall in Malaysian politics in the past 47 years, standing for integrity, honesty, justice, the rule of law, good governance and Malaysian patriotism. It will be sorely missed.”