DAP: 1Malaysia is doomed

Lim Guan Eng says Najib is being held hostage by extremists.

KUALA LUMPUR: DAP Secretary-General Lim Guan Eng today blasted Prime Minister Najib Razak for his latest statement on the Sedition Act, saying he has put an end to his 1Malaysia and Coalition of Moderates by allowing himself to be held hostage by extremists.

Najib yesterday released a press statement saying the government would not be in haste to repeal the Sedition Act.

Lim said the statement backtrack from his earlier “firm commitments” to repeal the act and was a “dismal gift” to Malaysians as they prepared to celebrate Malaysia Day.

“Najib should admit that his Coalition of Moderates and 1Malaysia is doomed to failure,” he said. “No wonder Najib recently decided to set up a new personal website to distance himself from his earlier site at www.1malaysia.com.my, which is tarnished with a string of broken promises.”

Referring to the recent series of sedition charges against Pakatan Rakyat leaders and dissenters, he said: “Such actions are politically motivated because no stern action is taken against Perkasa or other Umno leaders for making inflammatory statements against non-Malays and non-Muslims, including Perkasa threatening to burn the Malay version of the Bible.

“If Azmi Sharom, who is the deputy dean of the Law Faculty of Universiti Malaya, can be charged for sedition for giving his academic views, there is no longer any hope for respect for the rule of law in Malaysia.”

Lim spoke of the national economy, which he said the Najib administration had neglected while it cracked down on dissent.

“Fundamental problems of high debt and government budgetary deficit as well as corruption are not addressed,” he said.

“Our Federal government debt has risen by 100% from RM266 billion at end 2007 to RM542 billion at end 2014 whilst our personal household debt is the second highest in Asia at 87% of GDP, making cost of living an increasingly serious problem for low-income groups.

“Even former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has expressed concern about 1MDB financial exploits as it is solely funded by debt estimated at RM 38 billion and 1 MDB’s operating income is not even sufficient to finance interest payments.”

Lim said Malaysians would celebrate a gloomy Malaysia Day with their “rights and feelings” trampled upon by extremists, “dimming hopes of a brighter future.”