Press Statement on Ijok By Elections:  Reject Politics of Deceit, Opportunism and Covert Bribery
Dr. Lim Teck Ghee

I call on Ijok voters to turn out in full force on 28 April and to decisively reject the politics of deceit, opportunism and covert bribery by voting for the opposition and Parti Keadilan Rakyat candidate, Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim.

By doing so, the humble Ijok inhabitants will set an example to all Malaysians on the use of the democratic vote and ballot box  to send these important messages to the ruling Barisan Nasional

•    Malaysians are not the docile and easy-to-buy electorate that BN politicians take everyone (including themselves) to be
•    the Malaysian electorate expects more from their elected representative and party than sporadic service and work
•    Ijok inhabitants will not be co-opted, intimidated or browbeaten into choosing their representative by the unfair use of what should be politically neutral public resources

I also wish to express my strong endorsement of Parti Keadilan and Tan Sri Khalid as the right party and right candidate to bring the Ijok people into the mainstream of development, a path denied to this poor marginalized region for so long, despite the constituency’s support of the BN for many years.

Whatever the outcome on 28 April, Parti Keadilan’s and the larger opposition’s campaign in Ijok is opening a new page in Malaysian political history by breaking the Barisan Nasional mould of self-serving and self-enriching elite bargaining.  The partnership by the multi-ethnic opposition and civil society volunteers in Ijok brings hope that Malaysians can rise above the selfish and opportunistic racial partisanship perfected by the Barisan Nasional; and also that our young people – Malays, Chinese, Indians and others - can work together for a brighter common future based on the shared values and sacrifice of all Malaysians.   

Kuala Lumpur, 23 April 2007