Pakatan Rakyat leaders have called for a truth and reconciliation commission over the May 13 riots in 1969 in conjunction with the commemoration of the bloodshed's 39th anniversary today.
At a press conference at the Parliament lobby today, top Pakatan leaders said the commission was important to uncover the facts behind the May 13 incident, which is still shrouded in a veil of secrecy.DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said May 13 should be treated as a chapter in the history which will make the people appreciate the value of democracy and justice.
"(We however hope) the May 13 will not continue to haunt us or the Malaysian politics, or to be manipulated by any irresponsible party," the Penang chief minister and Bagan MP told reporters.
PKR president and Opposition Leader Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail (PKR-Permatang Pauh) added that the rakyat should "go beyond the memory of May 13".
"We have proven there (can be) a smooth transition (of power after the March 8 polls) in four states and that's why we don't want to be haunted by the memory," she said, referring to the frequent argument that any landslide opposition's victory may lead to the repeat of the May 13 riots.
The May 13 riots, which took 196 lives according to official figure, have been a frequent source of public debate in view of the absence of a full disclosure on the incident.
The official version has portrayed the riots as being triggered by ‘provocation' by supporters of the Chinese-dominated opposition while celebrating their electoral victory in that year. This has been rebutted by the opposition parties.
However, last year, an academician has argued that the riots were actually an attempt at a coup d'etat within a faction in Umno to oust then premier Tunku Abdul Rahman. The writer based his finding on various sets of confidential documents which were newly declassified.
More details at www.malaysiakini.com
1 comment:
Truth and Reconciliation Commission? Forget it! Malaysians, even when they are 100 per cent guilty will insist "It may have looked like me, sounded like me, but I cannot be sure it was me!" Or, they will feign forgetfulness, claiming nobody can remember anything they did nearly 40 years ago.
Leave it to historians to uncover the Truth of darker side of Malaysia's history.
And leave it to God to deal with the guilty who may have their Datuk-, Tan Sri- and Tunships now, but cannot take these along with them when they go to their reward in the fire and smoke of Hades.
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