There were three unusual sights during the Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad’s speech on the 11th Malaysia Plan Mid-Terrm Review in Parliament yesterday.
First, the empty seat opposite the Prime Minister across the parliamentary aisle in the Opposition benches. The seat was empty as the Parliamentary Opposition Leader had been arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and expected to be charged in court today on 45 counts of corruption, criminal breach of trust and money-laundering.
Second, the second Opposition seat next to the Parliamentary Opposition Leader, which is occupied by the former Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak. During Mahathir’s entire speech on the 11th Malaysia Plan Mid-Term Review, Najib never raised his head to look at the Prime Minister, eyeball to eyeball so to say, but kept his head down.
A concession of total moral and political defeat and capitulation by Najib Razak?
Third, Mahathir’s conclusion in his speech resonated with the majority of the Members of Parliament, who rapped the table in appreciation – except for the glum faces from the former UMNO/Barisan Nasional Ministers and MPs, including the sole MCA Member of Parliament, Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, who seemed to be very comfortable in the company of UMNO leaders.
What was it that made the UMNO/BN leaders so uncomfortable and glum?
It was the conclusion of Mahathir’s speech, viz:
“87. What I have tabled is for the rakyat. For all the rakyat from Perlis to Sabah. For the Malays, Chinese, Indians, Iban, Kadazan, Murut and Orang Ali as well as other ethnic groups, all who live in Malaysia. “88. We want a united Malaysia. We want all Malaysians to succeed and enjoy the wealth of the nation. I call upon all Malaysians to shoulder this responsibility. If everything contained in this document is implemented, I am confident that Malaysia will once again roar as a the Asian Tiger. The image of Malaysia will be transformed by a kleptocractic country to a truly democracy with a government which is clean, noble and of integrity. Malaysians in every nook and corner of the world can proudly introduce himself or herself: I am a Malaysian.”
Are the UMNO/BN leaders, including Najib, Ismail Sabry Yaacob, Mahdzir Khalid, Annuar Musa, Idris Yusof, Noh Omar, Shahidan Kassim and Wee Ka Siong, opposed to the transformation of Malaysia from a global kleptocracy to a model democracy and the building of a New Malaysia where Malaysians free proud of identifying themselves as Malaysians anywhere in the world?
Are they unhappy at the objective to create unity among all ethnic groups in Malaysia and the restoration of Malaysia as an Asian Tiger?
(Media Statement by DAP MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang in Gelang Patah Lim Kit Siang on Friday, 19th October 2018)
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Kenyataan Media oleh Ahli Parlimen Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang pada Jumaat, 19 Oktober 2018 di Gelang Patah:
Tiga pemandangan luar biasa semasa Dr Mahathir menyampaikan ucapan pembentangan kajian separuh penggal Rancangan Malaysia ke-11 di Parlimen semalam.
Terdapat tiga pemandangan luar biasa semasa Perdana Menteri Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad menyampaikan ucapan pembentangan kajian separuh penggal Rancangan Malaysia ke-11 di Parlimen semalam.
Pertama, kerusi kosong di bangku pembangkang yang terletak bertentangan dengan kerusi Perdana Menteri. Kerusi itu kosong kerana Ketua Pembangkang telah ditahan oleh Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) dan dihadapkan ke mahkamah hari ini atas 45 tuduhan rasuah, jenayah pecah amanah dan pengubahan wang haram.
Kedua, sebuah lagi kerusi pembangkang yang terletak bersebelahan dengan kerusi Ketua Pembangkang, yang diduduki oleh bekas Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Razak. Sepanjang Dr Mahathir membentangkan kajian separuh penggal Rancangan Malaysia ke-11, Najib tidak langsung mengangkat kepalanya untuk melihat Perdana Menteri, apatah lagi bertentang mata, hanya menunduk ke bawah.
Ketiga, ucapan Dr Mahathir disambut dengan gema ketukan meja oleh majoriti Anggota Parlimen sebagai tanda penghargaan – sebaliknya di bangku pembangkang, perasaan muram kelihatan jelas terpancar di wajah bekas Menteri dan Anggota Parlimen Umno/Barisan Nasional, termasuk Anggota Parlimen tunggal MCA, Datuk Seri Wee Ka Siong, yang kelihatan sangat selesa dalam ‘dakapan’ pemimpin Umno.
Apakah yang membuatkan pemimpin Umno/BN begitu tidak selesa dan diselubungi suram?
Ia disebabkan oleh penutup ucapan Dr Mahathir, yang berbunyi:
“88. Apa yang saya bentangkan adalah untuk rakyat. Untuk semua rakyat dari Perlis hingga Sabah. Untuk orang Melayu, Cina, India, Iban, Kadazan, Murut dan Orang Asli dan etnik-etnik lain yang semua bernaung di bawah langit Malaysia. “89. Kita mahu Malaysia yang bersatu padu. Kita mahu rakyat Malaysia berjaya dan menikmati kekayaan negara. Saya mengajak semua rakyat Malaysia menggalas tanggungjawab ini. Jika semua yang terkandung dalam dokumen ini dilaksanakan, saya yakin Malaysia akan mengaum kembali sebagai Harimau Asia. Imej Malaysia akan bertukar dari sebuah negara kleptokrat kepada sebuah negara demokrasi tulen dengan kerajaan yang bersih, luhur dan berintegriti. Rakyat Malaysia di manamana tempat di seluruh pelusuk dunia boleh memperkenalkan dirinya dengan bangga: Saya rakyat Malaysia.”
Adakah pemimpin Umno/BN, termasuk Najib, Ismail Sabry Yaacob, Mahdzir Khalid, Annuar Musa, Idris Yusof, Noh Omar, Shahidan Kassim dan Wee Ka Siong menentang transformasi Malaysia daripada kleptokrasi global kepada model demokrasi dan pembinaan Malaysia Baru di mana rakyat Malaysia bangga mengaku diri mereka sebagai rakyat Malaysia?
Adakah mereka tidak berpuas hati dengan matlamat untuk mewujudkan perpaduan dalam kalangan semua kumpulan etnik di Malaysia dan sekali lagi mengangkat Malaysia sebagai Harimau Asia?
– Lim Kit Siang