Welcome Speech by Teresa Kok, Chairperson of DAP Selangor, Exco of Selangor Government, MP for Seputeh & State Assemblyman for Kinrara at Lim Kit Siang 70th Year Old Celebration Dinner at Shah Alam Convention Centre on 27th February 2011
Sdr Lim Kit Siang and Mrs Lim Kit Siang, Sdr Lim Guan Eng (Sec Gen of DAP and Chief Minister of Penang), YAB Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Khalid bin Ibrahim (Chief Minister of Selangor), Members of Parliament and State Assemblymen of Pakatan Rakyat of Selangor, friends from NGOs, all party members, supporters and well wishers, members of the press,
A very good evening to all of you, and thanks for coming for the birthday celebration dinner organized by DAP Selangor tonight. Indeed, it is a great honour for DAP Selangor to be able to organize this dinner for our peerless leader, Sdr Kit Siang.
Sejak DAP ditubuhkan dan sebelum Pilihan Raya 2008, apabila DAP hanya memainkan peranan sebagai parti pembangkang dalam politik Malaysia, Sdr Lim Kit Siang merupakan “tokoh pembangkang yang terhandal” di Malaysia. Sebelum kewujudan internet dan ICT, DAP selalunya dilemparkan dengan pelbagai tuduhan yang bukan-bukan dan Sdr Kit Siang merupakan pemimpin utama DAP dikenakan dengan tohmahan yang paling serius berbanding dengan pemimpin parti yang lain.
Kenyataannya selalu diputar-pelitkan oleh media aliran utama yang tidak bertanggungjawab, “character assassination” terhadapnya tidak pernah dihentikan. Pada waktu itu, Sdr Kit Siang selalunya tidak mempunyai saluran untuk menjawab segala tuduhan yang tidak benar terhadap beliau. Itulah sebabnya, bagi sesetengah pihak yang hanya membaca media aliran utama, mereka memang kurang faham tentang personaliti dan perjuangan Sdr Kit Siang, persepsi mereka hanya berubah selepas internet dan ICT jadi popular di negara kita. .
In politics, we are always forced to face many difficult issues and are often misunderstood. But none of us in the DAP has faced with the kind of challenges and hardships that have been faced by Sdr Kit Siang. Few years ago, when I am asked by Dr Michael Ong, a Malaysian academic residing in Australia to make a statement to sum up my perception of him, I said “he is the most misunderstood man”. However, despite all sorts of misunderstandings, criticism against him, at the end of the day his convictions and class stand out and the position of strength of the party now is an indication of what an anchor to the party and nation he’s been.
Bagi ramai orang yang tidak kenal beliau, beliau dianggap sebagai manusia orang keras dan degil, ataupun “an iron man”. Ramai tidak tahu dalam reality, Sdr Kit Siang sebenarnya adalah pemimpin yang halus, sabar dan amat menjaga perasaan dan sensitiviti rakan sekerjanya. Saya percaya kenyataan saya dipersetujui oleh ramai pemimpin parti dan bekas pemimpin parti yang pernah bekerjasama dengan beliau.
Tonight is not only the night to celebrate 70th year old birthday of Sdr Kit Siang, but it is also a night for us to know a little bit more about the life and vision of this peerless leader. Many of us have learnt a lot from Kit Siang. He had been our teacher, our inspiration and will continue to be our guru and mentor.
今晚，我们不只是庆祝林吉祥同志七十大寿而已，更重要的是，我们希望藉着今晚这场合，能让我们对林吉祥同志的背景和愿景有更深一层的认识。对很多党内的领袖和同志来说，林吉祥同志不只是我们的领袖，他同时也是我们在政治上的导师。如果没有林吉祥同志当年的艰苦斗争和牺牲，行动党不会有今天成就。
Lastly, I would like to thank all the members of the organizing committee for tonight’s event that’s led by Sdri Hannah Yeoh and Sdri Lee Kee Hiong for their preparatory works. On behalf of DAP Selangor, I would like to wish Sdr Kit Siang Happy Birthday. We pray that he will have good health, long life and happiness.
Thank you