PAS Information Chief Ahmad Fadhli Shaari has called for the revocation of citizenship from a prominent tycoon for urging Malaysian Chinese to prioritise China.
While he did not name the individual, it was clear he referred to Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew, founder of Country Heights Holdings Bhd. Lee had recently encouraged Malaysian Chinese political parties to focus on China and the global Chinese population rather than local political matters, in a statement marking the 100th death anniversary of Dr Sun Yat-sen.
Debating the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024 in the Dewan Rakyat on Oct 16, Fadhli said, “This proves there are efforts to undermine loyalty to Malaysia.”
Describing Sun as “a founder of communism”, Fadhli was particularly disturbed by Lee’s reference to Sun’s ideology, which he mistakenly associated with communism.
Fact-check: Sun Yat-sen was never the founder of Communism (it was Karl Marx) nor leader of the Chinese Communist Party (it was Mao Zedong) but merely hailed as “Forerunner of the Chinese Revolution” during his lifetime (1866-1925).
“I read: Lee argued that Dr Sun Yat-sen’s teachings remain deeply relevant today and must guide political discourse among the Chinese communities, both in Malaysia and worldwide.
“This is an unacceptable matter. But this proves that sometimes some of us don’t appreciate nor respect the privilege of being a Malaysian citizen.”
Fadhli stressed that such individuals should be deemed as not deserving to be granted citizenship, hence should have their citizenship stripped.
He further urged for the enactment of a Citizenship Act to address both the granting and revocation of citizenship for “errant” citizens.
Open letter by Lee to Fadhli:
Dear YB, Yang Berkhidmat Tuan Haji Ahmad Fadhli bin Shaari
Member of Parliament for Pasir Mas
I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. I wanted to take a moment to reach out to you in the spirit of open dialogue and mutual understanding. My respect for our country, Malaysia, runs deep, and this passion drives everything I do, both personally and professionally.
In this light, I would like to invite you for a cup of coffee. Whether we meet for a private conversation or a public dialogue, I believe such an exchange could benefit both of us and contribute to fostering harmony between the Malay and Chinese communities in our beloved country.
Like you, YB, Yang Berkhidmat, for you to choose the Parliament to bring up my name and question my loyalty to the country, it is a wrong platform. You have chosen a legislative platform and used your legislative power to suggest something to the administrative power. Instead, you should go directly to the judiciary power. This should be an interesting topic for the public to discuss and brainstorm to make sure the Malaysian judiciary power is totally independent. Parliament should be the platform for you to discuss the well-being of your constituency, Pasir Mas. The function of Parliament is to provide oversight of the Government and to hold the Government accountable, to make good policies and laws for the Rakyat and the country, instead of targeting me.
In my article, I aimed to promote the ideologies of Dr. Sun Yat Sen, a leader I deeply admire. Instead of advocating for the conventional Three-Power Separation, Dr. Sun Yat Sen proposed the Five Power Constitution to prevent corruption and reduce the concentration of power. His idea was to include additional checks, such as Examination and Control powers, alongside Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches. I believe our discussion will open up a good opportunity for all politicians and political parties to pay attention to Dr. Sun Yat Sen’s philosophy of the Five Powers Constitution.
Please know that my patriotism is genuine, and my loyalty to Malaysia is steadfast. As someone born and raised in this beautiful land, I have always worked with the best interests of the nation and its people at heart.
Last but not least, for you to understand the philosophy and the culture of Tiong Hua, it doesn’t just belong to the Chinese, but it belongs to all mankind, just like Al-Quran is the best medicine for all mankind.
I look forward to hearing from you, whether publicly or through a private dialogue, instead of through the parliamentary platform.
Here’s a little pantun to brighten our exchange:
Bunga mawar di tepi titi,
Mekar indah dipandang mata,
Mari berbincang secara hati ke hati,
Demi Malaysia yang kita cinta.
And I enclose here an open letter to all Malaysians, on the interpretation of the meaning of Tiong Hua, for your kind reference.
And I enclose here an open letter to all Malaysians on the interpretation of the meaning of Tiong Hua for your kind reference.
Sincerely,
Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew