By Lim Kit Siang

Is the dissemination of racist lies, poison and incitement, regardless of the harm to Malaysian nation-building,  the surest way to high votes and influence in the upcoming UMNO party elections?

There has recently been an unprecedented outpouring of racist lies, poison and incitement in Umno media and social media, whether facebook, twitter or blog, raising the question:

Is the dissemination of racist lines, poison and incitement, regardless of the harm to Malaysian nation-building, the surest way to high votes and influence in the upcoming UMNO party elections?

Two days ago, the UMNO official newspaper, Utusan Malaysia carried a report quoting a former Umno deputy minister, Dr. Mohd Fuad Zarkashi  making the accusation that the DAP’s criticism of the film “Tanda Putera” “samata-mata ingin menyembunyi kebiadapan Penasihat DAP, Lim Kit Siang yang bertindak kencing di depan rumah Menteri Besar Selangor ketika peristiwa 13 Mei 1969”. (Utusan Malaysia 7.9.13 p.13)

How can the former Umno deputy minister say, and Utusan Malaysia publish, such dastardly falsehood, when this is a most irresponsible and downright lie?

I was never in Kuala Lumpur at any time during the May 13, 1969 racial riots, and the director of Tanda Putera, Datin Paduka Shuhaimi Baba had claimed that the fabricated  urination incident in her film was her “creative licence” in her fictitious account of the May 13, 1969 racial riots!

This is not an isolated instance, as there had been a recent spate of malicious lies and falsehoods in UMNO media and social media, like the blog post of former Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin last Tuesday (3^rdSeptember 2013), accusing me of having “sowed the seeds of death” in causing the May 13, 1969 riots.

I have instructed my lawyers to institute legal proceedings against  Zainuddin, Fuad  and Utusan Malaysa to clear my name from these defamatory falsehoods but the question Malaysians and even UMNO delegates, divisional and branch leaders must ask is whether they will allow the dissemination of  racist lies, poison and incitement to sacrifice the higher national  interests of Malaysian nation-building in the belief that this is the surest way to high votes and influence in the upcoming UMNO party elections!

I have said many a time that I was never in Kuala Lumpur during the May 13, 1969 racial riots in Kuala Lumpur but facts and truth do not seem to matter to Umno leaders and propagandists who are bent on spreading the lie that I had provoked the May 13, 1969 racial riots not only through my fictitious  role in the street processions in Kuala Lumpur on May 11, 12 and 13, 1969 in Kuala Lumpur but even for urinating on the flagpole in the Mentri Besar’s residence.

Six circumstances why I could not have provoked the May 13, 1969 riots

There are at least six circumstances to show that I could not have provoked the May 13, 1969 riots.

Firstly, I had not contested in any of the Kuala Lumpur or Selangor seats in the 1969 general elections as I had contested in the Bandar Melaka parliamentary seat.

Secondly, I was never in Kuala Lumpur after the May 10, 1969 general elections and on May 13, 1969, I was in Kota Kinabalu campaigning for the independent parliamentary candidate as polling in Sabah for the 1969 general elections was to be after the Peninsular elections on May 10, 1969.

Thirdly, I would not have dared to return to Kuala Lumpur from Sabah if I had caused the May 13, 1969 riots by shouting anti-Malay slogans in victory processions in the streets of Kuala Lumpur and even urinating at the flagpole of the Selangor Mentri Besar’s residence.

Fourthly, I would have been charged and prosecuted for causing the May 13, 1969 riots if I had been guilty of shouting anti-Malay slogans in victory processions in the streets of Kuala Lumpur and urinating at the flagpole of the Selangor Mentri Besar’s residence, if a person could get away alive or unhurt with such a heinous and provocative act!

Fifthly, I would not have called for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the May 13, 1969 racial riots to ascertain the causes and the culprits down the decades for 44 years, from 1969 to now.

Sixthly, I would never have written a letter to the Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman from the Muar Detention Centre on 5^th August 1969, expressing my “anxieties for the future of Malaysia” and making a three-point proposal for the forging of national unity in the wake of the May 13, 1969 racial riots.

As I said in my letter to Tunku:

“From the very outset of the May 13 disturbances, the DAP had offered its help to restore peace and harmony.

“I myself, on 17th May, had occasion to make a similar offer and pledge on behalf of my party at a press conference in Singapore, on the eve of my return to Malaysian capital from Sabah and arrest.”

My three-point proposal was: 

(1) The immediate convening of Parliament (a) for an affirmation and pledge by all MPs to the concept and ideal of racial tolerance, understanding and multi-racialism; and (b) to restore the people’s confidence in the democratic process and deny the M.C.P. from making political capital from the disturbances.

(2) The establishment of a Royal Commission of inquiry into the causes of the May 13 disturbances, and to apprehend and punish the culprits; and

(3) The establishment of an all-party, all-races Royal Commission of Enquiry to probe into the entire gamut of racial problems in Malaysia, with a view to seek long-term solutions.

We should learn the lessons from the tragedy of the May 13, 1969 so that Malaysia can be a more united, successful and prosperous nation and not to distort history and the tragic events of 44 years ago for petty political advantages as in securing high votes and greater influence in the upcoming UMNO party elections.