(Blog statement by Lim Kit Siang at a joint media conference with Fong Po Kuan at Ipoh Timur Election Operations Centre, Ipoh on Friday, 22nd Feb. 2008 at 2 pm)

Cili Padi Fong Po Kuan has returned to the frontline of the 2008 “Electoral Battle of the Century” – to end the overpowering Umno political hegemony by denying the Barisan Nasional its unbroken two-thirds parliamentary majority in the March 8 general election.

The past six days since Po Kuan’s announcement that she would not recontest in Batu Gajah parliamentary seat had been an agonizing ordeal for Po Kuan, party leaders, members, supporters and the Malaysian public who see the general election as the last opportunity for change and the nation’s tryst with greatness.

Whether at the national or state party leadership, there had never been a second name for the DAP candidature for Batu Gajah in the 12th general election apart from Po Kuan. All party and state leaders, together with the concerned Batu Gajah voters and the larger national constituency, had urged Po Kuan to reconsider and return to the frontline in the critical battle shaping up in the 12th general election.

One cannot run away from the reality that Po Kuan’s action had caused harm and damage to herself, the party and the cause for justice, freedom and democracy – although she never intended so.

I have had discussions with Po Kuan in the past two days and she had admitted to the great harm her action had unintentionally and unwittingly caused to the party, party leaders and the political momentum for change in the 12th general election, and she asks for the party and people’s forgiveness for her mistake.

She has now bounced back to the frontline of the Electoral Battle of the Century and will reconstest and defend the Batu Gajah parliamentary seat.

In our discussions, we agreed that to should look forward and not back, that everyone should single-mindedly focus on one and only objective – to give a great blow to the increasing and overpowering Umno political hegemony maginalising not only the other Barisan Nasional component parties, but also the ordinary Malaysian masses, whether Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazan-Dusun-Murut, Ibans and Sarawak indigenous people as well as orang asli in Peninsular Malaysia.

With Po Kuan’s return to the frontline of the battle, let us make up precious lost ground and enter into the 12th election campaign with gusto and confidence, v igour and vitality.

Cili Padi FPK is back!