Lim Kit Siang - "Mahathir mahu gua mampuih cepat,tapi gua mahu Mahathir hidup lama"...

 

Pertempuran epik antara Mahathir dan Lim Kit Siang masih berlarutan sejak beberapa dekad yang lalu dan baru2 ini Lim Kit Siang(LKS) telah memberi respons terhadap kenyataan Dr. Mahathir Mohamad tentang pelan persaraan orang lama DAP itu.

Ketika bekas Perdana Menteri tertanya-tanya sama ada LKS akan terus berpolitik sehingga nafasnya terakhir, pemimpin veteran DAP, sebaliknya, berdoa agar Mahathir, 88, akan terus hidup selama 12 tahun lagi.

"Mahathir mahu saya mati tetapi saya berdoa agar Mahathir akan hidup sehingga 100 tahun untuk melihat berakhirnya era Mahathirisme.

"Mahathir mahu saya mati dan itulah sebabnya dia memulakan misi beliau dalam pilihan raya umum ke-13 untuk kempen di Gelang Patah bagi menjadikannya Gelang Patah sebagai 'tanah perkuburan' politik saya," katanya.

Lim teringat bahawa sebelum pilihan raya yang lalu, Mahathir telah menyeru rakyat Johor bersatu tenaga mereka untuk memastikan bahawa beliau(LKS) "terkubur".

Walaupun bukan calang2 calon yang menentangnya, LKS memenangi kawasan Parlimen Gelang Patah dengan menewaskan bekas Menteri Besar Johor,Abdul Ghani Othman.

"Saya bersedia untuk korbankan diri saya, meninggalkan kerusi Parlimen yang selamat, Ipoh Timor yang saya menang pada tahun 2008 dengan lebih daripada 21,000 undi majoriti.

"Pada malam 5 Mei,2013, Mahathir tewas dan saya menang.

Saya telah membuktikan yang Mahathir salah kerana bekas Perdana Menteri itu telah terlibat dalam politik longkang iaitu politik jenis yang paling keji dan tidak bermoral, dengan menyebarkan pembohongan dan kepalsuan bahawa saya bertanding di Gelang Patah bagi menimbulkan konfrontasi kaum di antara orang Cina dan Melayu, dan kononnya saya mahu orang Cina membencikan orang Melayu dan menolak bekerjasama dengan orang Melayu, "katanya dalam satu kenyataan.

Dr Mahathir sedih kerana pengaruh menurun

LKS berkata bahawa kegagalan Mahathir dalam PRU13 terutamanya di Gelang Patah, Shah Alam dan Pasir Mas di mana bekas Perdana Menteri itu telah mempertaruhkan reputasi politiknya dengan penuh keupayaannya untuk menjejaskan hasil pilihan raya tersebut,telah menjadi tanda-tanda bahawa kuasa dan pengaruh Mahathir dan Mahathirisme mula menurun.

"Malah,tanda-tanda awal kelemahan itu sudah nampak seperti kegagalan Mahathir pada tahun 2006 untuk dipilih walaupun sebagai perwakilan UMNO bahagian Kubang Pasu untuk perhimpunan agung UMNO, yang membawa kepada peletakan jawatan dari UMNO dan peningkatan kempennya untuk menjatuhkan Perdana Menteri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi ketika itu.

"Tetapi kekecewaan Mahathir dalam PRU13, terutamanya di Gelang Patah, Shah Alam dan Pasir Mas adalah yang pertama daripada tiga tanda-tanda yang ketara dalam tempoh enam bulan lalu selepas PRU13 yang menunjukkan bahawa pengaruh Mahathir dan Mahathirisme adalah semakin susut.

Ayah boboi pon turun di saat2 akhir...

Dua lagi adalah:- kegagalan anaknya, Mukhriz untuk dipilih sebagai salah seorang daripada tiga Naib Presiden UMNO dan yang terakhir - kegagalan Mahathir untuk memberi kemenangan kepada Mukhriz,Menteri Besar Kedah dalam PRK Sungai Limau walaupun Mahathir turun berkempen di saat2 akhir.

Lim mendakwa bahawa pengaruh Mahathir yang kian menurun, boleh dijelaskan melalui coretan2 pahit Mahathir didalam blognya yang menuduh pemimpin DAP itu takut dengan"bayang-bayang" Mahathir dan seandainya dia(LKS)terus berpaut kepada kuasa sehingga ke akhir hayatnya.

Walau bagaimanapun, Lim berkata tidak ada sebab untuk sesiapa sahaja berasa takut dengan bayang-bayang Mahathir "apabila ianya sudah menjadi separa malap."

"Apa yang rakyat Malaysia harus mengambil berat adalah sumpahan Mahathirisme - warisan yang Mahathir tinggal selepas menjadi Perdana Menteri selama 22 tahun," katanya.

Lim kemudiannya menangani soalan Mahathir mengenai persaraan beliau dengan memetik satu pepatah terkenal ulama agung Dinasti Sung, Wen Tian Xiang, bahawa "semua manusia akan mati, tetapi kesetiaan saya akan menerangkan sejarah selama-lamanya".

"Untuk pengetahuan Mahathir,'kesetiaan' di sini merujuk kepada kesetiaan kepada Malaysia," kata pemimpin DAP itu.

'Mahathir wants me dead, but I want him to live'

Continuing their epic battle which has raged for decades, Lim Kit Siang has responded to Dr Mahathir Mohamad's macabre twist to the DAP veteran's retirement plan.

While the former premier wondered if Lim would remain in power until his final breath, the DAP leader, however, is praying that Mahathir, 88, lives for another 12 years.

"Mahathir wants me dead but I pray that Mahathir will live to 100 to see the decline and end of Mahathirism

"Mahathir wants me dead and that is why he embarked on his mission in the 13th general election to campaign in Gelang Patah to turn it into my political 'burial ground'," he said.

Lim recalled that before the last election, Mahathir had called on the people of Johor to pool their energy to ensure that the state becomes his (Lim's) "kubur" (grave).

Despite the heavyweights who campaigned against him, Lim won the parliamentary constituency by defeating then Johor menteri besar Abdul Ghani Othman (below).

"I was prepared to put my head on the chopping block, leaving the safe parliamentary seat of Ipoh Timor which I won in 2008 with more than 21,000-vote majority...

"On that night of May 5, 2013, Mahathir lost and I won. 

I proved Mahathir wrong as the former prime minister had indulged in gutter-politics of the most despicable and immoral kind, disseminating lies and falsehoods that I was contesting in Gelang Patah to cause a racial confrontation between the Chinese and Malays, that I wanted the Chinese to hate the Malays and reject working together with the Malays," he said in a statement.

'Dr M bitter over waning influence'

Lim noted that Mahathir's failures in the 13GE particularly in Gelang Patah, Shah Alam and Pasir Mas where the former prime minister had staked his entire political reputation on his ability to affect the electoral outcomes, were not the only signs that the power and influence of Mahathir and Mahathirism had declined.

"In fact, there had been earlier signs of such vulnerability like Mahathir's ignominous failure in 2006 to get elected even as a delegate of his old Kubang Pasu Umno division to the Umno general assembly, which led to his resignation from Umno and escalation of his campaign to topple the then prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

"But Mahathir's setbacks in the 13GE, particularly in Gelang Patah, Shah Alam and Pasir Mas are the first of a trio of significant signs in the past six months after the 13GE that the influence of Mahathir and Mahathirism are on the wane.

"The other two are: the failure of his son, Mukhriz to be elected as one of the three Umno vice-presidents and his failure despite eve-of-polling appearance or campaigning in Monday’s by-election in Sungai Limau to swing victory for Mukhriz (left), who is mentri besar of Kedah," he added.

Lim claimed that his waning influence could explain Mahathir's bitterness with regard to the former premier blogging that the DAP leader is afraid of his (Mahathir's) "shadow" and if he (Lim) would cling on to power until his death.

However, Lim said there is no reason for anyone to be afraid of Mahathir's shadow "when it had become quite a penumbra."

"What Malaysians should be concerned is the bane of Mahathirism – the legacy which Mahathir has left behind after his 22-year premiership," he added.

Lim then addressed Mahathir's question regarding his retirement by quoting a famous saying by the Sung Dynasty scholar-general Wen Tianxiang that "all men are mortal, but my loyalty will illuminate the annals of history forever".

"For Mahathir's ears, the 'loyalty' here refers to loyalty to Malaysia," said the DAP leader.-malaysiakini

Pilihanraya Kecil Sg Limau - satu post-mortem oleh Mahathir...

Saya tidak berniat untuk kempen dalam PRK Sungai Limau. Ini sebahagian dari kawasan saya pada tahun-tahun 1964 – 1969. Saya sukar berkempen di sini. Tetapi kerana sebab tertentu saya lapangkan masa pada 3hb November dan saya memutus untuk ke Sungai Limau.

Sungai Limau tebal dengan PAS kerana terdapat guru agama yang terkenal di situ. Tetapi kali ini BN dapat masuk dan saya juga boleh berkempen. Sudah longgar agaknya.

Bendera PAS sama banyak dengan BN. Kit Siang turut berkempen tetapi DAP masih takut bayang-bayang saya. Tumpuan Kit Siang ialah mencaci saya, seolah-olah saya yang bertanding. Kit Siang tidak senang kenapa saya masih aktif selepas bersara.

Pada 1964 saya jadi Wakil Rakyat. Kit Siang menjadi Setiausaha Politik kepada Devan Nair. Kemudian setelah PAP tidak dapat aktif lagi di Malaysia Kit Siang menubuh DAP dan menjadi ketuanya. Saya bersara 2003. Kit Siang belum bersara, masih ketua DAP dan menjadi wakil rakyat Gelang Patah.

Bila Kit Siang akan bersara? Sampai mati kah? Jika sudah bersara nak jadi pemimpin kanan (Senior Leader) DAP kah?

Kempen sekarang ini berbeza dari dahulu. Banyak wang diguna.

Diadakan Karnival di mana ada acara hiburan, jamuan dan hadiah percuma seperti T-shirt BN, PAS yang belum memerintah terpaksa jual T-shirt. Apabila jadi Kerajaan T- shirt tentu percuma.

Ada Jabatan Kerajaan yang mengadakan pameran untuk mempromosi Kementerian Pertanian saya fikir. Mereka yang datang melihat pameran diberi sepuluh ekor anak ayam, dedak dan beras. Makanan disediakan untuk pelawat.

Saya tak tahu samada pameran ini adalah sebahagian dari kempen BN. Jika ia, amat jelas pelawat tidak terpengaruh dengan hadiah anak ayam. Sebenarnya pengundi tidak mengundi mengikut hadiah – samada berbentuk duit atau anak ayam.

Mungkin saya salah (dan saya mengaku saya kerap salah) tetapi saya fikir pemberian wang dan hadiah tidak akan memberi kemenangan. Ini jelas dari PRU 13. Yang tak sokong tak sokong juga. Wang yang diberi adalah pembaziran, samada wang Kerajaan atau bukan Kerajaan.

Sokongan kepada parti politik diasaskan kepada perjuangannya dan tingkah laku pemimpin dan calon. Kalau datang dengan Mercedes atau motorsikal 1000 c.c, saguhati dan apa juga yang diberi tidak akan menawan hati.

Ada pengundi yang tidak arif yang berkata ini rasuah. Ini sangkaan buruk mereka. Tetapi sangkaan ini walaupun mungkin bukan rasuah mungkin mempengaruhi tindakan mereka.

Di Sungai Limau ternampak banyak rumah batu bumbung genting. Nampak sejak saya jadi wakil rakyat dahulu keadaan banyak berubah. Ramai dari orang kampung yang sudah berjaya dan ada duit, walaupun tidak kaya.

Tetapi masih ramai yang miskin, amat miskin. Kalau mereka diberi peluang dan bantuan mungkin mereka akan berhijrah – Wallah wa’alam. Dan mungkin BN disanjung tinggi semula.

Inilah politik semasa. Duit lebih banyak tetapi pengaruh masih belum cukup.- chedet.cc

Mahathir's post-mortem on Sg Limau...

I did not intend to campaign in the Sungai Limau by-election. This was part of my district during the years 1964-1969. It is hard to campaign there. But for some reason I had time on the 3rd of November and I decided to go to Sungai Limau.

Sungai Limau is dominated by PAS because there is a famous religious teacher there. But this time, BN could get a foot in and I had an opportunity to campaign. But it didn't work out.

The number of PAS flags hung out were about the same as the BN's. Kit Siang and DAP were campaigning there but still feared my shadow. Kit Siang's aim was to condemn me as if I was competing. Kit Siang is not happy that I am still active despite my retirement.

In 1964, I became an MP. Kit Siang was political secretary to Devan Nair. Then after the PAP's demise in Malaysia, Kit Siang established the DAP and became its leader.

I retired in 2003. Kit Siang has not yet retired, but still heads the DAP and is also the elected representative for Gelang Patah. When will Kit Siaang retire? Or will he stay at it till death? And if he does retire, will he also assume the post of Senior Leader in DAP?

The campaign now is different from before. A lot of money is used. Carnivals are held where there is entertainment, meals and free gifts such as BN T-shirts. PAS which has not come to power was forced to sell T-shirts. When they become the government, T-shirts will surely be free.

Were there government departments holding exhibitions to promote the Ministry of Agriculture, I wonder. Those who came to see the exhibition were given 10 chickens, bran and rice. Food was also made available to the visitors.

I do not know whether this show was part of the BN's campaign. If it is, very obviously, the visitors are not influenced by gifts of chicken. The truth is voters did not vote according to the gifts offered - whether in the form of money or chickens.

Maybe I'm wrong (and I admit I am often wrong ) but I think giving money and gifts will not bring victory. This is clear from the GE-13 (13th General Election held on May 5, 2013). Those who do not support us did not support us. The money given was a waste  - whether it was government money or non-government money.

The support given to political parties is based on struggle and the conduct of its leaders and candidates. If (a leader) comes in a Mercedes or a 1,000cc motorcycle, consolation and whatever has been given will not be able to win over hearts.

Some voters have said this is corruption. That is their suspicion. But such thoughts even though it has not been proven to be corruption can influence their actions .

In Sungai Limau, I saw many brick houses with tiled roofs. It looks like the situation has changed a lot since I was an elected representative. Many of the villagers are successful and have money, even though they may not be rich .

But there are still many who are poor, very poor . If they are given the opportunity and help they may be able to transform their lives.Wallah wa'alam. Then perhaps BN will be respected again.

This is the politics of the times. There is much more money used than before but its influence is still not strong enough.- Malaysia Chronicle

Berita yang di tunggu-tunggu oleh semua para pengundi UMNO/BN pada PRU 13 lalu.

1 Banglasia 1 Malaysia

cheers.