Prime Minister Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal and the political “donation” controversy tops the list.
Lim, who is also Gelang Patah MP, noted that at a briefing for civil servants on 1MDB as part of the Umno/Barisan Nasional (BN) campaign in Sungai Besar, its chief Arul Kanda Kandasamy claimed that the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had “found no evidence which linked a RM2.6 billion donation to 1MDB.”
The DAP veteran, while stressing he did not want to call Arul Kanda a liar, alleged that the latter’s claim was “downright untrue”. “The PAC had never investigated the RM2.6 billion controversy – it later grew to RM4.2 billion – so it could not say that it ‘found no evidence which linked the RM2.6 billion donation to 1MDB’.”
Secondly, the National Security Council (NSC) Act was in serious disrespect and contempt of the Conference of Rulers. The Najib Government had totally ignored the advice of the Rulers to “refine” the NSC Bill before it becomes law.
“The NSC Act was both undemocratic and unconstitutional, as it usurps the prerogative of the Agong to declare a state of emergency,” said Lim. “The Act unconstitutionally confers on the Prime Minister the power to declare ‘mini-emergencies’ by simply declaring specific areas or states as ‘security’ areas.”
Thirdly, the unprecedented Ministerial motion in Parliament on May 26 to fast-track PAS President Hadi Awang’s hudud Bill, went against the 43-year BN stand and consensus that hudud was unconstitutional.
Fourthly, the rise of extreme politics of race, religion and hate to polarise the people along racial and religious lines. “The very existence of the Federation formed in 1963 could be under peril,” said Lim. “The people of Sabah and Sarawak are more and more alienated by Putrajaya’s policies.”
Finally, the failure of the BN Government to perform and deliver the basic functions of government, such as ensuring the safety and security of the people on land and water. “This is highlighted by the kidnapping of four Malaysians by Abu Sayyaf and the frequent arrests and hostage-taking of local fishermen by Indonesian authorities,” said Lim.
All these five issues have become so big that they have assumed “atomic bomb” proportions, cautioned Lim. “Only Amanah/Pakatan Harapan (PH) candidates will highlight these issues in Parliament.”
The reference to “atom bomb” takes its cue from Ahmad Termizi Ramli, a nuclear physicist.
Pandan MP Rafizi Ramli is now under investigation for “joking” publicly that Termizi, if elected, would be asked to “hurl an atom bomb” at Najib in Parliament.