Kasthuri Patto says Ti Lian Ker forgot to mention the role of Najib, and that the MCA is in denial over its own role in the many laws that threaten fundamental liberties.
KUALA LUMPUR: The MCA has been complicit in the introduction and implementation of “draconian” laws and laws that infringe on human rights, a DAP MP said today. However, Kasthuri Patto said, the party was in denial.
She also said, in making allegations against the DAP, and noting that former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was behind the Operasi Lalang dragnet in 1987, the MCA’s Ti Lian Ker had conveniently left out an important fact.
The Member of Parliament for Batu Kawan said Ti left out the “glaring fact” that 10 days before Ops Lalang, then acting Umno Youth chief Najib Razak had rallied a “rowdy, racist crowd” at the TPCA Stadium.
She claimed in a statement that Najib had “stirred” the racially-sparked crowd bearing banners against Chinese Malaysians.
It was the same Najib, who had “vilified his very friends and supporters” in BN component parties that day, who was today instrumental in implementing laws that threatened fundamental liberties, she said.
She said after Ops Lalang, a white paper was tabled as an “important document” in parliament by the then home minister in 1988, entitled “Towards Preserving National Security” and that this paper contained reports of what Najib had done that day.
The DAP Wanita publicity secretary charged that Ti had “totally missed the mark” and was still in denial about the current state of affairs under Najib’s leadership and the slew of “equally draconian, unjust laws” such as the amendments to the Prevention of Crime Act, the Prevention of Terrorism Act, the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act, and the Peaceful Assembly Act.
She mentioned Section 124B of the Penal Code, which says: “Whoever, by any means, directly or indirectly, commits an activity detrimental to parliamentary democracy shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to twenty years”.
“What is not only peculiar and yet downright astonishing, is the fact that MCA Members of Parliament stood in the Dewan Rakyat and shamelessly voted in support of these draconian laws which threaten democracy, freedom and justice as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.”
She asked why the MCA was attacking the DAP now, when it had a chance, 30 years ago, to “make a bold stand in the cabinet and in parliament against these laws which had incarcerated eight MCA leaders under Operasi Lalang”.
Kasthuri added: “Ti Lian Ker and his party members are crying wolf, too little, too late as there will be no end to Operasi Lalang as it will most definitely repeat itself through the barrage of laws introduced, supported and passed in the Malaysian parliament by none other than the Najib administration consisting of MCA ministers, deputy ministers and MPs alongside those from Umno, MIC and other Barisan Nasional component parties.
“The DAP has been steadfast, resolute and unwavering in the 50 years against any form of law that suppresses fundamental liberties as what Barisan Nasional has been doing for 60 years now. What is MCA’s stand on these laws?”
Among other things, Ti had yesterday said that this was the 30th year of the “biggest crackdown on innocents”.
“Looking back, the protagonists or villains of the ‘dark period’ known as Ops Lalang were none other than Dr Mahathir who was then both prime minister and home minister, and his protégé then, Anwar Ibrahim, who was the education minister.”
Noting that one of those detained under Ops Lallang was DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang, Ti said it was “peculiar” that Lim was now canvassing votes for both Dr Mahathir and Anwar.
“DAP may have chosen to forgive these villains for reasons personal to themselves, or whatever. DAP may have chosen to absolve the villains of Ops Lalang but there are others including MCA politicians who are innocent victims of this blatant abuse of power and disregard for fair play.”
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