KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 — Nearly half a century today after the traumatic 1969 incident, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang has called on Malaysians to move past the “dark days”.
In a statement today, the Iskandar Puteri MP stressed that regardless of various differences, the people of the country are first and foremost Malaysians, who share the common national anthem Negaraku.
“Let us put the dark days of May 13, 1969 forty-nine years firmly behind us,” Lim said.
“The most important lesson of all ― the need for perpetual mutual respect, sensitivity, civility and decency among Malaysians even among political foes in our plural society of diverse races, religions, languages and cultures.”
He also said such qualities should guide every aspect of life for all Malaysians, and not excluding the political leaders.
“Let us not only resolve that our politics should be more decent and civil...minus the lies, fake news and false information (which had become) so ubiquitous in recent general elections campaign,” he said.
Lim said the recent general election, which saw the Barisan Nasional government ousted by then an opposition pact for the first time in six decades, has given the country a second chance to build a nation free of lies and false information.
“It has given Malaysians a second opportunity to reset nation building policies and directions and to forge a new national reconciliation and unity ― whether Pakatan Harapan or non-Pakatan Harapan voters and supporters,” he said.
Hundreds of Malaysians are believed to have died during the May 13, 1969 clashes between the Malays and the Chinese. Although ostensibly triggered by the results of Election 1969, it was rooted in ethnic tensions between the two communities.
The date has in the past years been used as a bogeyman against upsetting the majority Malays.
