DESPITE stating that “there is now hope and anticipation instead of black despair and hopelessness”, DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang is still wary of “new dangers in the land” as Malaysia ushered in its 65th Merdeka Day today.
On top of his list are that of desperate forces trying to prevent the country from returning to its original nation-building principles and policies as enshrined in the Federal Constitution and Rukun Negara (National Principles).
“(This encompasses depriving) constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy, separation of powers, rule of law, good governance, public integrity, meritocracy, respect for human rights and national unity from our multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural diversity where there are no first-class and second-class citizens whether based on race, religion or region,” shared the Iskandar Puteri MP in his National Day message.
Towards this end, Lim urged Malaysians to endorse the joint statement of the nine former Malaysian Bar presidents who voiced full support of the current president Karen Cheah for her defence of the independence of the judiciary at these “unprecedented times” and in defence of “brave judges for upholding their oath of office without fear or favour”.
“I would advise lawyers contemplating with their plans to undermine the principle of the independence of the judiciary and the doctrine of separation of powers to cease and desist to avoid infamy,” he cautioned.
Lim said he remains resolute with what he told the police based on a declassified document – a statement he made to the police while in police custody at the Kuala Selangor Police Station lock-up under the Internal Security Act after he voluntarily flew back to Malaysia on May 18, 1969:
- Every citizen, regardless of his race, language or religion regards himself as a Malaysian first and his racial identity secondary;
- Malaysians of all races have more in common with one another than with their ‘blood brothers’ counterpart be they in China, India or Indonesia. Unless we can achieve this, Malaysia cannot be said to have become “a Nation of Malaysians”.
He further observed how the National Day today in 2022 is diametrically different from the National Day in the past two years of 2020 and 2021.
“2020 was the first National Day after the greatest political betrayal in the nation’s history when the Sheraton Move political conspiracy toppled the Pakatan Harapan (PH) Government and shortened its rule from a mandate for five years to 22 months,” recalled Lim.
“In 2021, the National Day was also subdued with UMNO toppling the (Tan Sri) Muhyiddin (Yassin) Government and the beginning of (Datuk Seri) Ismail Sabri’s (Yaakob) premiership.”
According to Lim. the National Day celebrations in both years took place under the cloud of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic with Malaysia being of the worst global performers as its ranking in the Bloomberg COVID Resilience Index tumbled from 16th place in January 2021 to 52nd in July 2021.
“Moreover, Malaysia also fell from a world ranking of No 85 in November 2020 among countries with the most daily number of COVID-19 cases by overtaking 59 countries as we are now ranked No. 26 with nearly 5 million COVID-19 cases and over 36,000 COVID-19 deaths,” added Lim. – Aug 31, 2022
