Saya kepilkan beberapa berita bagaimana Mahathir mengganas kata di bulan puasa menyerang Suqui. Nampak jelas beliau kepanasan sejak terkena sebiji tumbukkan pengsan oleh pengundi Lunas. SYABAS rakyat Lunas... anda sudah mengajar Mahathir laksana buku dengan ruas. Mahathir kini menggelepar... dan dia membuka lebih banyak ruang lagi untuk Umno serta BN cepat-cepat gulung tikar.

Saya kira berita pelbagai sumber dalam dan luar negara ini sudah cukup untuk membuatkan rakyat dari kaum Cina melihat telatah Mahathir yang masih cuba berbelit lidah dan tidak akur kepada kesilapan dirinya sendiri. Sebelum pemilu 1999 yang lepas beliau mengatakan 'bersetuju secara prinsip' dengan Suqui, tapi sekarang beliau melabel Suqui sebagai eksrim pula. Jelas beliau sanggup menipu demi untuk meraih kemenangan pada 1999. Sekarang 'prinsip' yang dikatakan setuju itu sudah dibuang ketepi setelah BN kalah di Lunas.

Tanggapan Mahathir bahawa sebarang kekacauan yang timbul akibat tuntutan Suqui adalah tidak berasas kerana beliau sendiri melarang pemuda umno dan lain-lain kumpulan 'memprotes kasar' lebih memeranjatkan. Ini adalah kerana pemuda umno sendiri melakukan tunjuk perasaan yang paling tidak beradap siap dengan memanjat pagar, melempar ucapan kesat dan menuding jari kearah muka wakil Suqui. Padahal tuntutan Suqui itu tidak ada apa-apa sangat. Malah ia tidak layak digelar tuntutan... ia lebih merupakan satu saranan atau harapan.

Jelaslah Mahathir semakin memusuhi kaum cina pula selepas tewas di Lunas. Dia belum serik lagi walaupun Ku Li dan Shahrir sudah memberi kata-dua kepada akhbar di luar negara. Jika BN tewas dalm pemilu yang nanti orang umno tidak perlu menulis post mortem panjang-panjang lagi. Mahathirlah punca segalanya sampai kini.

Ugama:
Dia memusnahkan kepercayaan orang melayu dalam ugama dengan teori 'sesuai'nya. Akhirnnya orang melayu meragui ugama sehingga ada yang sesat atau menjadi murtad tetapi mereka dibiarkan sahaja.

Hasilnya BN tumpas di Lunas.

Fitnah:
Dia menghancurkan 'Mahsuri' lagi dengan fitnah yang amat hina sehingga aib seluruh bangsa melayu olehnya. Dia telah memecahkan perpaduan orang melayu dan sanggup menipu demi memegang teraju. Jika beliau amat jujur, sudah lama kes Anwar ini dibicarakan di dalam mahkamah syariah. Malangnya orang umno masih gagal mencelik mata dan membiarkan sahaja seorang pejuang bangsa diaib sehina-hinanya.

Akibatnya: Undi Melayu kepada Umno merosot dengan banyaknya. Salah siapa lagi jika tidak Mahathir sendiri?

Pengakuan Paksa:
Dia melanggar budi dan cara sampai berkecai kehormatan sesiapa sahaja dengan mendera sesiapa sahaja supaya mengaku melalui budak surohannya. Semuanya dilakukan diluar peri-kemanusiaan. Bayangkan apa yang telah mereka lakukan didepan mata kita di Jalan Kebun. Mereka menyerang dan memukul orang tua tanpa kesihan, menyepak wanita sampai jatuh dalam longkang. Atau membogelkan Nora tanpa malu dan segan.

Kini Dr Anees, Sukma, Mior, Jamal dll, kesemuanya menarik balik kenyataan mereka. Wajah mereka kini dengan wajah mereka sebelum itu membayangkan penderaan mental dan fizikal yang dahsyat sudah dilakukan oleh seorang diktator yang suka memprogram minda orang-orang yang ditekan.

Kesannya: Polis sudah dianggap tidak berguna lagi. Mereka bukan melindungi rakyat, tetapi merekalah samseng berlesen yang lebih teruk dari Mossad.

Perkauman:

Mahathir kini menggunakan Suqui sebagai bahan lapik untuk meraih balik sokongan orang Melayu dan Cina kepada BN. Dia cukup takut dengan beralihnya sokongan pengundi Cina di Lunas. Sokongan kaum Cina amat penting untuk BN, tetapi BN gagal berpegang kepada janjinya dalam pilihanraya lepas bahawa ia bersetuju pada prinsipnya dengan Suqui. Sikap Mahathir hari ini hanya akan mempercepatkan lagi kemusnahan BN kerana Suqui bukanlah apa-apa sangat. Ia hanyalah satu memorandum lembut yang mahukan keadilan untuk semua kaum di negara ini. Jika mereka terlalu ekstrim, mengapa dibiarkan sahaja bejuta-juta penyokong Suqui berada dinegara ini? Malah penyokong Suquilah yang telah memenangkan BN dalam pemilu yang lepas. Sikap Mahathir hari ini membayangkan beliau seorang yang paling tidak guna kepada masyarakat Cina.. Dan masyarakat Cina tidak akan lupa itu semua selama-lamanya.... mereka akan menumbangkan BN dan menyokong BA bila tiba waktunya. Lunas itu baru satu permulaan. Mahathir kini sudah diambang kejatuhan.......

KENYATAAN MEDIA LIM KIT SIANG

Media Statement by DAP National Chairman Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Tuesday, December 12, 2000:

Mahathir's parliamentary statement on Suqiu a repudiation of his Vision 2020 and Bangsa Malaysia as well as confession that Barisan Nasional deceived Malaysian Chinese to vote for it in last general election

The parliamentary statement of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad in reply to the question by DAP Secretary-General and MP for Kota Melaka, Kerk Kim Hock on Suqiu is not only a repudiation of his Vision 2020 and Bangsa Malaysia but a confession that the Barisan Nasional had deceived the Malaysian Chinese to vote for it in the last general election to save its parliamentary two-thirds majority.

Mahathir himself declared ten years ago that the first of the nine strategic challenges to be overcome to achieve Vision 2020 is to establish a "Bangsa Malaysia" - a united Malaysian nation with a sense of common and shared destiny, at peace with itself, territorially and ethnically integrated, living in harmony, in full and fair partnership, with political loyalty and dedication to the nation.

Suqiu represents one formula for the establishment of such a Bangsa Malaysia and in condemning Suqiu out-of-hand as calculated to cause racial disunity and therefore not much different from the communists or Al-Maunah, Mahathir had not only repudiated the Vision 2020 and Bangsa Malaysia concepts, but had perpetuated unwarranted and baseless slurs against Suqiu and the Chinese community who supported it, as reflected from the endorsement from over 2,000 Malaysian Chinese organisations.

Mahathir's denunciation of Suqiu tantamounts to an indictment of his Vision 2020 as how could Bangsa Malaysia emerge from the full integration of the diverse peoples in Malaysia if the division of Malaysians into bumiputeras and non-bumiputeras is for perpetuity?

It was most unprincipled and cynical on Mahathir's part to say that the Cabinet was forced to accept Suqiu "in principle" as the general election was approaching then, stating:

"We were threatened then as elections were just round the corner. That's why they came up with the memorandum, as a threat to the Barisan Nasional, and that if we didn't entertain their request they would tell the Chinese not to support us.

"This was deliberate and the timing was well-planned. What could we do then?"

This is nothing less than a confession that the Barisan Nasional had deceived the Malaysian Chinese to vote for it in the last general election by professing to support the Suqiu "in principle", making the Barisan Nasional's general election victory and two-thirds parliamentary majority most questionable and illegitimate.

Mahathir's claim that any potential chaos arising from Suqui's demands was defused because he personally forbade UMNO Youth and other Malay groups from resorting to "violent protests" is most shocking, when any form of "violent protests" to any form of electoral appeals in a democratic society must be denounced without qualification.

Is Mahathir suggesting that there would circumstances when "violent protests" by Umno Youth would be justified or could be condoned and that this was why no action had been taken to prosecute UMNO Youth for the provocative and racist demonstration outside the Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall in August?

Mahathir's parliamentary statement yesterday is a most unbecoming from a Prime Minister and is ominous about future political directions and developments of the Barisan Nasional government.

- Lim Kit Siang -

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/general/ge1112_5.htm

December 11 , 2000 21:52PM

BN LOST LUNAS BECAUSE OF OPPOSITION THREATS AND LIES, SAYS MAHATHIR

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the Barisan Nasional (BN) failed to defend the Lunas state seat in last month's by-election because of threats by so many opposition supporters besides the lies and accusations they hurled at the BN.

He told the Dewan Rakyat on Monday that one of the tactics used to woo the Chinese voters was to harp on the protest against vision schools which was an issue among the Chinese electorate there in the Nov 29 by-election.

"They claimed that Chinese students in vision schools will be forced to wear skullcaps. This was spread widely by word of mouth but it proved to be very effective," he said when replying to a supplementary question from Kerk Kim Hock (DAP-Kota Melaka).

Such campaigning tactic swayed votes from the Chinese, who strongly supported the BN in the 1999 general election resulting in the defeat of two DAP leaders namely Lim Kit Siang and Karpal Singh, said Dr Mahathir who is BN chairman.

The impression was that their sudden change of heart and aversion towards the BN was attributed to the 83 demands by Suqui, the Chinese pressure group, to the government before the 1999 general election, he said.

Kerk enquired whether Dr Mahathir's remarks on the Suqui demands which angered the Chinese electorate in Lunas caused the BN to lose the seat to Keadilan in the by-election.

Dr Mahathir said Suqui claimed to be representing 2,000 Chinese associations but it was not certain whether it held meetings with affiliates to discuss the 83 demands and whether sensitivities and views of the other races were taken into consideration.

"I did not get any report...even the Chinese newspapers did not report about such meetings being held.

"All of a sudden a few people came with up with this memorandum making all sorts of ridiculous demands to get rid of the rights of the Malays and the other Bumiputera," Dr Mahathir said emphasising the importance of taking the sensitivities of the other races into account when making demands of such nature.

He said the fact remained that the Malays and Bumiputera were still left behind, citing statistics that in terms of enrolment to universities alone, perhap less than 25 per cent of them deserved admission if based on merit.

"Without government conracts, Malay contractors may not get any contract at all. This proves that without special rights, they may not get any contract at all. So also is the case with opportunities for education," said Dr Mahathir who acknowledged that the government cared a little more for the Malays because of they were still weak.

Dr Mahathir said although the government set aside 60 per cent of places in local universities for Bumiputera, the number of Bumiputera professionals and other graduates produced locally and by overseas universities was still low.

The prime minister said since the Suqui did not take these facts into account, he believed the Chinese pressure group did not at all make thorough study before coming out with its demands.

He regarded the Suqui demands as a threat directed at the BN and the timing was perfect with the advent of the last general election.

"The DAP is no different...DAP even supports the formation of an Islamic state to win support..by colluding (with PAS)...," Dr Mahathir said to loud tapping of the table by government back-benchers.

Immediately Kerk and several other DAP MPs rose and called Dr Mahathir a liar but the prime minister retorted back: "I am not lying, more so not during the fasting month, I am speaking the truth.I am serious in my reply."

Dr Mahathir criticised the DAP, which he said, inflamed racial sentiments at a time when the BN was all out consolidating inter-racial goodwill.

He said in Malaysia the Chinese are treated very fairly and unlike Chinese in other countries, for instance, only in Malaysia are they allowed to set up Chinese schools.

"The Chinese, Indians and the Malays get moderate treatment. No one community will ever get 100 per cent whatever they demanded.Even the Malays did not get their demands 100 per cent because if they get 100 per cent treatment this means we are not being fair to the other races," he said.

Replying to a supplementary question from Dr Tan Seng Giaw (DAP-Kepong), Dr Mahathir, while chiding PAS, said many only talked about the Suqui demands without bothering to read to the last word the entire content of the demands simply because they had no principles.

Dr Mahathir denied Tan's allegations at his recent meeting with the Suqui at the prime minister's office, only Dr Mahathir did the talking.

The prime minister told the House that during the meeting he also sought for a briefing on the demands and the memorandum the delegation submitted.

"It is true that I explained to them the racial problem in our country, the perils of taking the matter to the public.. demands like wanting to do away with the difference in status for the Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera are too sensitive for discussion," he said.

The prime minister told the House that his meeting with the Suqui delegation was in an amicable atmosphere and that he even had a photo session with the delegation members.

They also asked him what they should tell the Press about the meeting, Dr Mahathir said.

"I have very good expectations as they were very nice and courteous and politely asked me what statement they could give to the Press and I suggested that they should say our meeting was in an atmosphere of goodwill," said Dr Mahathir.

However, the prime minister said he was very disappointed that the moment the general election was imminent, statements playing on strong racial sentiments among the Chinese were issued, for which he said the methods used were similar to the DAP's. -- BERNAMA

http://www.nstpi.com.my/z/Current_News/NST/Monday/NewsBreak/20001211161200

Dr M cites chaos if Govt entertains Suqui

by Ashraf Abdullah

11 December 2000

The Government could not entertain demands made by Suqui as they were tantamount to abolishing Malay rights, a move which will result in chaos and will paralyse the country's progress.

Stressing that national unity was too valuable to be forsaken, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad told the Dewan Rakyat that acceding to Suqui's demands would not only lead to racial disunity, but would also be as good as repealing clauses in the Constitution which guaranteed Bumiputera privileges.

Suqui is the acronym for Malaysian Chinese Organisation's Election Appeals Committee which claims to have more 2,095 associations affiliated to it.

Replying to Kerk Kim Hock (BN-Kota Melaka), Dr Mahathir reiterated his earlier statement that Suqui's actions were not much different from that of the communists who wanted to abolish the special status of Malays.

Dr Mahathir first made the remark in his National Day message on Aug 30.

The Prime Minister said while his criticism was only directed at Suqui, especially certain leaders of the group, they and in particular Chinese newspapers, made his remarks appear as if they were targetted at the entire Chinese community.

"If the Chinese in general are offended by my remarks which had been deliberately distorted by Suqui and some Chinese newspapers," he said, "I apologise to them."

Dr Mahathir said there would be no peace in Malaysia, let alone progress, if the Government were to resort to ignoring its social contract and the constitution.

This was because Suqui's demands that the Chinese be granted all what they deemed to be as their rights virtually meant removal of Malay privileges which were intended to ensure that Malays, behind in many areas inluding economics and academics, could catch up.

"As Prime Minister, it is my responsibility to ensure peace and security in the country," he said. "I know that any attempt to get rid of the rights of the Malays and Bumiputera will result in chaos and disorder."

Dr Mahathir said although Suqui did not explicitly say so in its 83-point demands, the consequence would be the removal of the divide between Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera.

The Prime Minister said any potential chaos arising from the Suqui's demands were defused because he personally forbade Umno Youth and other Malay groups from resorting to violent protests.

"They were told that I will personally deal with this issue," Dr Mahathir said.

He said instigations by outsiders bent on seeing Malaysia embroiled in anarchy as in some other developing countries especially Muslim nations, had appeared to have an impact among Malays and Malaysian Chinese following the demands by Suqui.

Dr Mahathir said despite him refraining Umno Youth and the other Malay groups from displaying strong protest, Suqui appeared to have decided to proceed with its demands.

"Their disregard for the ban on raising sensitive issues and disrespect for the government's social contract, national policies and directives are akin to the attitude of communists," he said.

"Their disrespect of the other communities makes them similar to the Al-Ma'unah (armed cult group)."

He said just as with the call for Malaysian Malaysia, what was demanded was equal rights and meritocracy.

Meritocracy was in fact used as an excuse for blocking and oppressing native people of their rights by immigrant communities as seen in an immediate neighbouring country and other nations, he said.

"We've seen how natives of the land become marginalised, impoverished," he said, "and have no role in the government in the name of so-called equal rights and meritocracy."

Dr Mahathir said Suqui had to be reprimanded for challenging the social contract and attempting to grab all for one community through so-called equal rights and meritocracy which the Malays rejected half a century ago.

The Prime Minister said Malaysians had accepted that no one community could get all that it believed as its rights and that all communities had to sacrifice a little to avoid erosion of the rights of others.

The Malays willingly diluted their political domination because they wanted to recognise the rights of the non-Malays and accepted the concept of multi-ethnicity, Dr Mahathir said while relating at length how a multi-racial social contract came into existence in the country.

Malay leaders, he said, with their Chinese and Indian counterparts, representing the MCA and MIC, had agreed that there would be no nationalisation of properties and rejected the socialist system.

In turn more than one million non-Malay residents were granted citizenship of the Federation of Malaya after they agreed and recognised the Malays as Bumiputeras with special rights," he said.

This social contract enabled the different communities to fight for independence together.

Upon gaining independence, many predicted that Malaysia would not progress or enjoy peace as the Malays would grab power and oppress the other races.

Dr Mahathir said it would require 3,000 per cent growth over 20 years to raise the Bumiputera economic status from one to 30 per cent whereas for a 33 per cent growth over 20 years would be enough for non-Bumiputeras to reach the 40 per cent target set by the NEP.

"Therefore, it is not suprising that the Malays and the Bumiputeras achieved only 20 per cent," he said. "Even so, government agencies hold 17 per cent of that, leaving the Malays holding only three per cent."

The non-Bumiputera have already far exceeded the 40 per cent stake as set out in the NEP objective, he said.

Dr Mahathir said if the affirmative actions were to cease the performance of the Malays and Bumiputera would decline further.

"They will revert to being the poorest and marginalised race in their own country," he said. "There is bound to be tension in their relation with the other communities."

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/general/ge1112_2.htm

December 11 , 2000 16:01PM

To meet Suqui's demands is to deny social contract

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 (Bernama) -- Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that by acceding to the demands by Suqui,the Chinese pressure group, the government would have to ignore its social contract and also side-step the Constitution.

He told the Dewan Rakyat Monday that there would be no peace in Malaysia, let alone progress, if the government were to resort to ignoring its social contract and the constitution.

This was because the Suqui's demands that the Chinese be granted all what they deemed to be as their rights virtually meant removal of the difference in status between the Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera, he said.

"As Prime Minister, it is my responsibility to ensure peace and security in the country. I know that any attempt to get rid of the rights of the Malays and Bumiputera will result in chaos and disorder," he said replying to Kerk Kim Hock (DAP-Kota Melaka) during question time.

Dr Mahathir said that while the Suqui did not explicitly say so in its 83-point demands, the consequence would be the removal of the divide between Bumiputera and non-Bumiputera.

The prime minister said any potential chaos arising from the Suqui's demands were defused because he personally forbade Umno Youth and Malay groups from resorting to violent protests.

"They were informed that I will deal with these Suqui demands," Dr Mahathir said.

He said instigations by outsiders bent on seeing Malaysia embroiled in anarchy as in some other developing countries especially Muslim nations, had appeared to have an impact among Malays and Malaysian Chinese following the demands by Suqui.

Dr Mahathir said despite him refraining Umno Youth and the other Malay groups from displaying strong protest, Suqui appeared to have decided to proceed with its demands.

"Their disregard for the ban on raising sensitive issues and disrespect for the government's social contract, national policies and directives are akin to the attitude of communists.

"Their disrespect of the other communities makes them similar to the Al-Maunah (armed group)," he said.

The prime minister said that just as with the call for "Malaysian Malaysia", what was demanded was equal rights and meritocracy.

He said meritocracy was in fact used as an excuse for blocking and oppressing native people of their rights by immigrant communities as seen in an immediate neighbouring country and other nations.

"...we've seen how native of the land become marginalised, impoverished and have no role in the government in the name of so-called equal rights and meritocracy," he said.

Dr Mahathir said while his criticism was only directed at Suqui, especially certain leaders of the group, they and particular Chinese newspapers made his remarks appear as if they were targeted at the entire Chinese community.

"If the Chinese are offended because of misunderstanding purposely created by Suqui and certain newspapers, I tender my apologies," said the prime minister.

Dr Mahathir said Suqui had to be reprimanded for challenging the social contract and attempting to grab all for one community through so-called equal rights and meritocracy which the Malays rejected half a century ago.

Dr Mahathir said that its has been accepted in Malaysia that no one community could get all that it believed as its rights and that all communities have to make a little sacrifice to avoid erosion of the rights of others.

"The Malays willingly diluted their political domination because they want to recognise the rights of the non-Malays and accept the concept the multi-racialism," Dr Mahathir said while relating at length how a multi-racial social contract came into existence in the country.

He said Malay leaders with their Chinese and Indian counterparts, representing the MCA and MIC, had agreed that there would be no nationalisation of properties and rejected the socialist system.

"In turn more than one million non-Malay residents were granted citizenship of the Federation of Malaya after they agreed and recognised the Malays as Bumiputera with special rights," he said.

This social contract enabled all the communities to fight for independence together.

Upon it gaining independence, many predicted that Malaysia (Malaya then) would not progress or enjoy peace as the Malays would grab power and oppress the other races since 80 per cent of the Malays were then poor, uneducated and backward in business, he said.

Unfortunately upon independence, the Malays and the other Bumiputera did not attain much progress and only held a one-per-cent share of the country's wealth,Dr Mahathir said.

Racial riots sparked off after the 1969 general election was the consequence of this, when the Malays, seeing the failure of their special rights to guarantee progress, were further mocked of their dwindling political power by certain opposition parties, he said.

Again, he said, the doom-sayers predicted that Malaysia would not recover from the riots and that it would continue to be plagued by racial disturbance.

Yet again, he said, the wisdom of the Alliance coalition leaders prevailed when the Malay-dominated National Operations Council which run the country during the emergency, was made defunct.

"Instead the Alliance leaders invited all parties and communities to discuss fresh inter-racial cooperation... which eventually created a new approach towards resolving racial imbalance. This led to the drafting and implementation of the New Economic Policy," he said.

Dr Mahathir said that while the Malays and the other Bumiputera made up 60 per cent of the population, the policy only set aside 30 per cent of the country's economic wealth for distribution to them and several affirmative action plans were carried towards achieving the objective moderately.

Dr Mahathir said it would require 3,000 per cent growth over 20 years in order to raise the Bumiputera economic status from one to 30 per cent whereas for a 33 per cent growth over 20 years would suffice for the non-Bumiputera to reach the 40 per cent target set by the NEP.

"Therefore it is not suprising that the Malays and the Bumiputera achieved only 20 per cent. Even so, government agencies hold 17 per cent of that, leaving the Malays holding only three per cent.

"The non-Bumiputera have already far exceeded the 40 per cent stake as set out in the NEP objective," he said.

The prime minister said if the affirmative actions were to cease the performance of the Malays and Bumiputera would decline further.

"They will revert to being the poorest and marginalised race in their own country. There is bound to be tension in their relation with the other communities," he said.

Should that happen, peace could no longer be guaranteed and the country's progress could be derailed, Dr Mahathir added.

-- BERNAMA

http://www.lycos-asia.com/my/asia/malaysia/001211093211.ddpmodpp.html

Mahathir again likens Chinese pressure group to communists

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 (AFP) - 17:32 - Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Monday again likened a Malaysian Chinese pressure group to communists but apologised to the community in general if he had offended them.

Mahathir's earlier attacks on the Suqui group are believed to have alienated Chinese voters before a key by-election on November 29 in which the opposition won a surprise victory.

But an unrepentant Mahathir told parliament: "Their (Suqui's) disregard for the ban on raising sensitive issues and disrespect for the government's social contract, national policies and directives are akin to the attitude of communists.

"Their disrespect of the other communities makes them similar to the Al-Maunah," he said.

Some 23 members of the Al-Maunah Islamic cult are on trial for treason after allegedly staging an armed uprising.

Mahathir said his criticism was only directed at Suqui and some of its leaders.

"If the Chinese are offended because of misunderstanding purposely created by Suqui and certain newspapers, I tender my apologies."

Suqui first riled Mahathir with a 17-point reform programme published before the November 1999 election. Among other issues it questioned the granting of economic assistance just to ethnic Malays and said help should be given to everyone in need.

Malay special rights are enshrined in the constitution and are augmented by the New Economic Policy (NEP).

This affirmative action programme for Malays was introduced in 1971, two years after anti-Chinese riots in which almost 200 people were killed. It aims to narrow the wealth gap with the Chinese, who dominate business.

Mahathir, quoted by Bernama news agency, said granting Suqui's demands would amount to the removal of special rights for bumiputeras (Malays and other races deemed indigenous).

"I know that any attempt to get rid of the rights of the Malays and bumiputeras will result in chaos and disorder," he said in answer to a question.

The prime minister blamed unspecified outsiders for trying to foment anarchy in the country.

Mahathir said Suqui was demanding a meritocracy -- which was used as an excuse "in an immediate neighbouring country" and elsewhere for denying native people their rights.

Defending what he called the "social contract" between Malays, Indians and Chinese, he said all races had agreed to make sacrifices.

Malays had diluted their political domination and more than one million non-Malay residents had been granted citizenship after recognising the Malays as bumiputeras with special rights.

While the bumiputeras made up 60 percent of the population, the NEP only set a goal of securing 30 percent of the country's economic wealth for distribution to them.

By 1990, when the NEP was replaced by a similar policy, they had achieved a 20 percent share.

If affirmative action were scrapped, Mahathir said, bumiputeras "will revert to being the poorest and marginalised race in their own country.

"There is bound to be tension in their relation with the other communities."

From The Sunday Star
12th December 2000

Dr M: Accepting all Suqiu requests would undo social contract

By Sim Leoi Leoi

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad said the social contract made among the races would have come undone if all 17 points in Suqiu's memorandum were accepted by the Government.

Bowing to Suqiu's requests would have also meant that the Constitution would have to be set aside, he said.

He told the Dewan Rakyat yesterday that such actions would have had dire consequences on the country as it would not be possible then to achieve peace among the races, what more progress.

"Suqiu is defying the country's social contract in an attempt to seize everything for the benefit of one race alone through so-called meritocracy and equal rights--all of which were renounced by the Malays 50 years earlier,'' he said.

Although Dr Mahathir admitted Suqiu had never explicitly stated that it was demanding for the Malays and bumiputras to be stripped of their special status, the group was generally asking that the Chinese be given all the rights claimed to be owed to them.

"This has the same meaning and result of doing away with the difference in status between bumiputras and non-bumiputras.

"I know any attempt to do away with the rights of the Malays and bumiputras would have resulted in chaos,'' he said.

Suqiu, the Malaysian Chinese Organisations' Election Appeals Committee, is made up of 13 Chinese associations. It claims to have the endorsement of 2,095 Malaysian Chinese organisations just before last year's general election.

The petition, among other things, called for promotion of national unity, advancing democracy, upholding human rights and justice, curbing corruption, having a fair and equitable economic policy and restoring confidence in the police force.

Dr Mahathir also told the Dewan that in fact, Umno Youth and other Malay groups had been told that he himself would also sign Suqiu's petition.

He said instigation by foreign forces to create chaos in Malaysia was also starting to take effect be tween the Malays and Chinese then.

"However, the situation in the country did not take a turn for the worse and neither were there any clashes this time because I forbade Umno Youth and other Malay groups from protesting too strongly against Suqiu's demands,'' he said.

Dr Mahathir also rebutted criticism by Kota Melaka MP Kerk Kim Hock that he was "not serious in his answer'' as he was really worried about the racial problems in the country and that the Opposition had contrived to constantly bring up the issue.

Dr Mahathir stressed that he had tried to resolve the conflict with Suqiu by meeting the group but it had since then continued to harp and campaign on the issue.

"That's why I have made the accusation by equating Suqiu to the communists for ignoring our need for a peaceful country and wanting to create trouble, much like the extremist group Al-Ma'unah,'' he said.

To another question from Kerk, he said the Cabinet was forced to accept "in principle'' Suqiu's 17-point memorandum as the general election was approaching then.

"We were threatened then as elections were just round the corner.

"That's why they came up with the memorandum, as a threat to the Barisan Nasional, and that if we didn't entertain their request they would tell the Chinese not to support us.

"This was deliberate and the timing was well planned. What could we do then?'' he said.

Dr Mahathir said if the Barisan were to turn down Suqiu's memorandum then, the party would have lost in the general election.

"That was its main reason for submitting a list of unreasonable demands.

"We had to refrain from taking a strong position against Suqiu's demands then as this would have meant our defeat.

"We also had to protect our interests, much as the DAP has also run away from committing its support for the establishment of an Islamic state (under PAS),'' he said to jeers from the Opposition.

Kerk had questioned why the MCA and Gerakan had on Sept 3 last year claimed that the memorandum had been accepted "in principle'' by the Cabinet if this had actually been opposed.

To a question by Dr Tan Seng Giaw (DAP Kepong) that Umno and MCA leaders had seemed to take different approaches towards Suqiu's demands at that time, Dr Mahathir said the initial reaction of Umno had been "expected.''

"But after we were told that this might affect our chances in the elections and the support from the Chinese, we had to tone down our opinions.

"Of course, we have to do this in politics,'' he said, adding that Suqiu's strategy was much like DAP's.

Dr Mahathir said although Suqiu had claimed to represent more than 2,000 Chinese associations, he had never read any report that the group had actually held detailed discussions with them on the memorandum and that they had agreed to it.

"What is Suqiu's right to make these demands without referring to the rank and file? If such a demanding memorandum could be brought up in a society as sensitive as Malaysia, a serious negotiation should have first been convened and opened to participation from the public.

"I didn't receive any report of such a meeting. Neither was this highlighted in the Chinese press,'' he said.

Dr Mahathir also denied that he had spent an hour "lecturing'' Suqiu, and described this as a lie propagated by some quarters to discredit him.

The group was in fact treated very well, he said.

"It's true that I explained to them for about an hour the racial problems and the dangers, but I wasn't the only one talking,'' he said.

Dr Mahathir added that the Suqiu representatives had asked him about the press statement they should release on the meeting.

"At that time, I had high hopes because they were so polite. So, I told them that they should say we had conducted the meeting in a friendly, muhibbah atmosphere,'' he said.

http://thestar.com.my/