Stop hiding behind father, Tian Chua tells Si Pin

Malaysiatoday

KUALA LUMPUR (March 3, 2008): Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) information chief Tian Chua says Barisan Nasional (BN)’s Batu candidate, Lim Si Pin, should stop hiding behind his father, retired Gerakan president Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik.

“Come to Sentul and stand next to me for a debate. Face the voters and explain your manifesto for Batu. Debating is the job of Members of Parliament (MPs). If you dare not face me, how are you going to face Lim Kit Siang (incumbent Ipoh Timor MP) and Fong Po Kuan (incumbent Batu Gajah MP),” he said in his ceramah, attended by about 300 people in Sentul on Thursday (Feb 28).

Incumbent Batu MP Ng Lip Yong said he has advised Lim not to accept Tian Chua’s challenge for a debate because, in the last elections, “I allowed Chua to speak in my ceramah but once he had finished his talk, he just walked away. This is lack of courtesy.”

Tian Chua said a public debate not only provides election candidates a platform to compete fairly, “it allows voters to compare the candidates and make smart choices”.

However, Lim had turned down Tian Chua’s invitation and described a debate as a “waste of time and a western opportunistic culture”.

In his ceramah, Tian Chua also said although he lost in Batu in the last elections “I am still in high spirits to remain here to face you all (voters)”.

“I stayed on in Batu and set up my office here although we are not the ruling party nor a rich party. I consider it my commitment and responsibility to serve the electorate here.
“I have been around for the past three years, working on my networking with the people. I am ready to fight this electoral battle.”

Tian Chua raised the following issues:

» BN has misused the police to clamp down on peaceful demonstrators and used the lack of budget as an excuse for failing to check the rise of crime;
» revenues from natural resources like petroleum and palm oil have been abused by cronies, leading to an increase in prices of fuel and essentials;
» BN’s failure to honour its 2004 manifesto;
» Batu residents have been victimised as they are evicted to make way for the construction condominiums and shophouses ; and
» the repeal of the Internal Security Act (ISA), if the government has the evidence, the detainee should be charged in court. - theSun