DAP stands fully united in support of the government to resolve the crisis with North Korea and the safe return of the nine Malaysians who are barred from leaving North Korea amidst the diplomatic row between the two nations.
Both North Korea and South Korea are presenting important lessons for Malaysia.
The lesson we must learn from the diplomatic crisis with North Korea is that Malaysians must stand united in support of the government’s dealings with foreign countries, as we must not give foreign countries any opportunity to exploit any internal differences for their benefit.
The lesson we must learn from the political crisis in South Korea following the impeachment of the South Korean President Park Geun-hye by the unanimous decision of eight judges of the Constitutional Court is quite different – that Malaysia must always uphold the rule of law and the sanctity of the Constitution if the country is not to be plunged into any political chaos.
In fact, many Malaysians are asking whether the impeachment of the South Korean President by Parliament and unanimous judgment of the Constitutional Court because of corruption and gross abuses of power could happen in Malaysia, whether political leaders in Malaysia could be impeached because of corruption and gross abuses of power.
This is only possible if in Malaysia, there is true rule of law, sanctity of the Constitution, separation of powers and independence of the important national institutions like the judiciary.
South Korea was very backward, both economically and politically, sixty years ago when we achieved Merdeka on August 31, 1957. Today, South Korea has leapt ahead of Malaysia not only in economic progress and development, but in its growth as a democracy from a dictatorship.
This is indeed food for thought for all Malaysians, – why the country has lagged so behind South Korea, both in economic and political terms in the past six decades.
(Speech at Dewan Sri Cheeding after visiting Kg Jenjarom and Kg Sri Cheeding during Jelajah Desa to Teluk Datuk State Assembly Constituency, Selangor on Saturday, 11th March 2017 at 9.30 am)