An invitation for a ‘friendly verbal joust’, again
PETALING JAYA: Tunku Abdul Aziz Abdul Ibrahim has once again extended his invitation to DAP supremo Lim Kit Siang to a friendly debate on the proposition that “DAP is a dictatorship”.
The former DAP vice-chairman claimed that Lim had been silent over the matter since he first invited him to debate a month ago.
“I am sorry to report that the usually garrulous Lim, self-styled seeker of truth and defender of free speech, and other assorted freedoms real or imagined, has not uttered a word. His studied silence is intriguing in the circumstances.
“I may, I suppose, reasonably conclude that he agrees with the general internal party consensus and the sentiments outside the party ranks that his entrenched top dog position, unchallenged for more than half a century, bears all the hallmarks of a dictatorship. So, I suppose there the matter rests,” he said yesterday.
Tunku Aziz, however, said should Lim feel ready for a friendly verbal joust confined to the proposition, he is happy to oblige.
On why he was reissuing the invitation, Tunku Aziz said Lim owed it to Malaysians to explain where he really stood in relation to the constitution of the country, and to prove that he was a democrat.
Stopping short of calling it a challenge, Tunku Aziz said he was inviting Lim, not to confront him, but to give him an opportunity to speak to the people and to defend himself.
“There is a lot of unhappiness within the party. There are a lot of resignations of top leaders. People can see.
“He has kept silent on his own position. If he wants to aspire to the leadership of the nation, whether as prime minister, deputy prime minister, he has to show his democratic credentials,” he said.
On what were DAP’s chances in the next election, Tunku Aziz said he could only judge from what he sees on the ground, stating that in the last polls, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak had described Chinese support as a “Chinese tsunami”, with more than 40 per cent of the votes going to DAP.
He said he had many friends in the Chinese community and said they were pragmatic and practical people.
“Many have realised they have made that grave error of judgment by doing what they did.
“I don’t think they will repeat that mistake. Because they can see what you can get out of going in that way, in that fashion, to support an opposition that is going on crutches and fighting everyday, with no unity.
“Are these the kind of people you expect to lead this country? I cannot see that. This is my take on the Chinese position. Yes some of them will vote for whatever the party they want.
“A lot of them will come back to support a party (Barisan Nasional) which has, over the last 60 years, brought progress, peace, security, and the environment that enables everyone to carry out their business without hindrance.”