KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 17 — DAP’s Lim Kit Siang today issued a sombre greeting ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year, reminding Malaysians of dark events in the past and warning them of others in the future.
The Gelang Patah MP listed down 10 topics that he said were likely to dominate conversations during the coming holidays, leading off with the incarceration of Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
“From Sodomy I in 1998 to Sodomy II in 2015, Malaysia has regressed to the darkness and repression 17 years ago when the country should be moving forward to greater freedom, justice, prosperity and confidence after the passage of almost two decades,” he said.
Other issues he also listed down include corruption, abuses of power in top decision-making circles, the implementation of the goods and services tax (GST) on April 1, the upcoming Sarawak state elections, and the uncertainty surrounding the future of Pakatan Rakyat (PR) following Anwar’s imprisonment.
He said that following the passing of PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat and Anwar’s imprisonment, PR parties must regroup and reunify or risk disintegration.
Lim said that another popular topic would be how extremism and bigotry reigns in the public domain while moderate voices are still silent in the face of the “country seeing the worst racial and religious polarisation in the nation’s history”.
“Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri’s racist call to Malay consumers to boycott Chinese agricultural businesses and the impotence and lack of political will and commitment to 1 Malaysia by the Najib premiership to resolve the issue in a satisfactory and acceptable manner despite the passage of some three weeks.”
Lim then called upon Malaysians to reaffirm their resolve and commitment for the country’s betterment, and not just wonder “long and hard” about the issues.
