Press Statement By DAP Secretary-General And MP For Bagan Lim Guan Eng In Penang On 28.2.2018.
No More Reason For UMNO Not To Apologise To Robert Kuok And DAP Following Robert Kuok’s Revelation Not Disputed By UMNO And MCA, That Robert Kuok Had Willingly, Happily And Freely Gave Donations To UMNO And MCA
No more reason for UMNO not to apologise to Robert Kuok and DAP following Robert Kuok’s revelation not disputed by UMNO and MCA, that Robert Kuok had “willingly, happily and freely” gave donations to UMNO and MCA. Robert Kuok made this admission of 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.”
UMNO is clearly ungrateful. Worse they have attacked DAP taking donations from Robert Kuok, when it is UMNO that has benefited instead. Despite such generosity towards UMNO, UMNO leaders ranging from Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Ministers Tengku Adnan and Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and Deputy Minister Datuk Tajudin Rahman as well other pro-UMNO NGOs have launched ferocious personal and ill-mannered attacks against Robert Kuok.
I will not deal with these individuals personally but address UMNO as a whole because Robert Kuok gave donations not to them personally but to UMNO. The situation would have been different if the individual UMNO members had received the funds, just like the Prime Minister depositing RM2.6 billon into his personal bank accounts.
The double failure of MCA and Gerakan to get the Cabinet’s approval to direct both UMNO and MIC to apologise for their rabid attacks on Robert Kuok and stop its fake news that Robert Kuok donated money to DAP to replace the BN government must mean that both MCA and Gerakan should break off with UMNO and withdraw from BN. UMNO, supported by MIC, has been going on a rampage against Robert Kuok on a false allegation and fake news.
Robert Kuok is not just the richest Malaysian but a Malaysian icon because of his successes outside Malaysia that enabled him to become a billionaire. To make false and racist attacks for political mileage is a betrayal of truth and a patriotic Malaysian spirit. Such wild and irresponsible attacks on both Robert Kuok and the DAP is dangerous and seditious because it is intended to escalate, heighten and poison racial harmony and relations amongst Malaysians.
Even if Robert Kuok had indeed donated money to DAP, this is nothing wrong in a democracy-practicing country. But such attacks take a racial and extremist turn, when Robert Kuok has not given any donation to DAP. Robert Kuok has also forcefully denied UMNO’s allegations. But why are political donations to the opposition considered such a big issue, when the Prime Minister receiving RM2.6 billion is not considered important? This is not only a clear case of double-standards, but an extreme case of bullying of an ethnic Malaysian minority.
As Secretary-General and the top leader of the DAP, I would know if Robert Kuok had made donations to us. Apparently UMNO knows more than DAP that Robert Kuok has donated money to DAP. Up to now, no proof has been shown by UMNO except to challenge DAP to prove otherwise. This is ridiculous and is no different from UMNO alleging that DAP murdered the Mongolian model Altantuya Shaaribuu and challenging us to prove otherwise.
I regret that MIC is also aping UMNO to attack Robert Kuok and the DAP. As an ethnic minority themselves, they should know better than “to diminish” themselves by participating in this political and racial lynching by UMNO against Robert Kuok and the DAP.
Such fake news and ferocious personal attacks with calls for removal of citizenship or challenges to contest in general elections, has angered not only the Chinese community, but also Malaysians generally. Would both MCA and Gerakan dare to put principle ahead of position of power, put right ahead of wrong, put fairplay ahead of bullying, by pulling out of BN?
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