I want to comment on eight issues in the 15th General Election in this media conference.
Firstly, the 15th General Election is a parliamentary election to vote the coalition which will form the Federal Government in Putrajaya and who is to become the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia, and not to vote for a Sabah State Government or who is to become the Sabah Chief Minister.
Secondly, the four candidates to be the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia in the 15th General Election are UMNO/Barisan Nasional President Zahid Hamidi, Bersatu President Muhyddin Yassin, PAS President Hadi Awang and Pakatan Harapan President Anwar Ibrahim.
Dr. Mahathir Mohamad the President of PEJUANG and the WARISAN chief Shafie Apdal are not candidates for the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia, and neither of them will be the 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Thirdly, Sabah cannot be stable and prosperous unless Malaysia is stable and prosperous. It is not possible for Sabah to be stable and prosperous if Malaysia becomes a failed, rogue and kleptocratic state in 30 or 40 years’ time.
Fourthly, there is no country in the world where stability and prosperity is built on rampant corruption and kleptocracy. If Malaysia wants to enjoy stability and prosperity, then there must be an all-out war to fight corruption. Najib Razak is responsible for the monstrous 1MDB scandal, but it would not be possible for the 1MDB scandal to continue for so many years if there is a Cabinet of Ministers with honest and upright men and women to stop the scandal.
Fifthly, UMNO is never so divided partly because UMNO members have to defend corruption and UMNO leaders have no money.
There is no 1MDB money like in the last two general election in 2013 and 2018, when money flowed like water because of the 1MDB scandal and Malaysian taxpayers have to pay for such misuse of money in the mega monstrous 1MDB scandal resulting in Malaysia still owing RM32.08 billion as at June 30, 2022 – according to Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz in Parliament.
It is not that there is no money, but less money and UMNO warlords at the state and divisional level retaining more of the money as UMNO may lose the 15th General Election.
UMNO grassroots should demand that the UMNO warlords at state and divisional level should release 100% of the monies to be used for the election campaign.
Sixthly, the present UMNO leadership should allow UMNO members to return to the nation-building principles of the first four UMNO Presidents, Onn Jaafar, Tunku Abdul Rahman, Razak Hussein and Hussein Onn.
They should be allowed to condemn corruption and abuses of power, and even condemn the 1MDB scandal, without having to face disciplinary action.
Seventhly, Pakatan Harapan can win the 15th General Election as the winds of change is blowing in the country, but it depends on a high voter turnout of more than 80 percent. I call on every voter inside the country and in the Malaysia Diaspora worldwide not only to vote, but to get their family, neighbours and friends to vote to save Malaysia from becoming a failed and kleptocratic state in another 30-40 years and for the sake of our children and children’s children.
Eighthly, Warisan 15GE campaigners should stop misleading the public, saying in Lahad Datu that a vote for Warisan is a vote for Roket, as Warisan had sent candidates to fight DAP candidates in Sabah and Malaya including Lahad Datu.
(Media Conference Statement by DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang at DAP Lahad Datu 15GE Ops Centre on Tuesday, 15th November 2020 at 10 am)