Press Statement By DAP Secretary-General And MP For Bagan Lim Guan Eng In Penang On 2.3.2018.
DAP condemns not only UMNO Minister Datuk Seri Nazri Abdul Aziz, but the entire UMNO, for their fake news, dishonesty and vitriolic attacks against Malaysian business icon Robert Kuok. MCA should not try to white-wash UMNO’s racist and extremist attacks against Robert Kuok by reducing this to an act of one single person(Nazri Abdul Aziz) when it is an all-out assault by UMNO as a party.
Not only Nazri Abdul Aziz but key UMNO leaders ranging from Deputy UMNO Minister Tajuddin Abdul Rahman, UMNO Ministers Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor, Nazri Abdul Aziz and Azalina Othman to make vicious personal attacks that has no basis against Robert Kuok. Even the Prime Minister himself got into the act to reprimand Robert Kuok.
UMNO is most ungrateful when they have benefited by receiving donations from Robert Kuok. Instead they have falsely attacked DAP for taking donations from Robert Kuok, when DAP did not receive any. Robert Kuok admitted giving donations to UMNO and MCA in his memoir released last December. The exact words as published at page 260 of his memoir reads –
“I was often asked to give substantial donations to the ruling parties, UMNO and MCA, after independence in 1957. I gave willingly, happily and freely.”
For Robert Kuok giving willingly, happily and freely to UMNO, UMNO repaid Robert Kuok not with gratitude but so much bullying and hatred. Malaysians, particularly the Chinese community, are angry and will not easily forget how UMNO exploits such fake news and ferocious personal attacks with calls for removal of citizenship, and bullying an iconic Malaysian entrepreneur.
This is not just the whole top UMNO leadership attacking Robert Kuok, but also state leaders such as UMNO Johor Assemblyman for Kempas Tengku Putra Haron Aminurrashid Tengku Hamid Jumat calling MCA “racist” for defending Robert Kuok. Why is MCA still wasting time collaborating with UMNO and hanging on in BN when UMNO has utter contempt for MCA?
If MCA is a principled party defending truth and justice, MCA should first condemn UMNO for the fake news and racist attacks against Robert Kuok and the DAP. Secondly they should break off ties with UMNO and withdraw from BN in protest against UMNO’s refusal to withdraw the fake news and apologise for their racist attacks.
This is a dishonest act of deception by MCA, when they were so many top UMNO leaders who attacked Robert Kuok. Clearly, by not pulling out of BN, both MCA and Gerakan are putting principle ahead of position of power, right ahead of wrong, fairplay ahead of bullying.
DAP wishes to commend CIMB Bank chairperson Nazir Razak’s(the Prime Minister youngest brother) for refusing to participate in UMNO’s racist and extremist personal attacks on Robert Kuok. Instead, Nazir described Robert Kuok as a patriot, the icon of Malaysian business and a first-class gentleman. Clearly Nazir would make a better Prime Minister than his older brother.
The attack on Kuok began when a pro-UMNO cyber-trooper, Raja Petra Kamaruddin, wrote a fake news alleging that the tycoon was funding DAP and The Malaysian Insight, with the intention of toppling Umno from power. Following this, Even Nazir’s elder brother, Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak, also got into the act against Robert Kuok
What is disappointing is MCA’s failure or fear of standing up to UMNO against such bullying of both DAP and Robert Kuok with such blatant lies. Instead of demanding in Cabinet that UMNO apologises for their racist and extremist attacks against UMNO, MCA is now trying to whitewash UMNO by claiming that it is not UMNO that is the problem but only one Minister!
This is a dishonest act of deception by MCA, when they were so many top UMNO leaders who attacked Robert Kuok. Clearly, by not pulling out of BN, both MCA and Gerakan are putting principle ahead of position of power, right ahead of wrong, fairplay ahead of bullying.
To stay in power, BN is willing to play with racial fire and burn down the country. However, DAP believes that Malaysians will not allow BN to burn down the country and shall replace this corrupt, divisive and destructive force with a diverse, multi-racial and principled coalition. Let Pakatan unite Malaysians to deal with the real issues of economy and livelihood faced by ordinary Malaysians who eat rice and not quinoa.
LIM GUAN ENG