PETALING JAYA: Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye stands by his words in his recently released memoir, saying he has no reason to fabricate stories about his departure from DAP.
This comes after veteran DAP politician Lim Kit Siang refuted Lee's statement about the circumstances that led to the latter's exit from the party.
"I can’t help it if some people have selective memories.
"I had said I quit the party because I was told by Lim that I would not be fielded to stand for the 1990 parliamentary elections in the Bukit Bintang constituency of which I was the MP for four terms," Lee said in a statement on Saturday (June 18).
In his newly-released memoir, Call Lee Lam Thye – Recalling a Lifetime of Service, the former Bukit Bintang MP wrote of how he endured unbearable internal politics, including relentless allegations.
According to Lee, in the run-up to the 1990 general election, he was informed by the party leadership that he would be removed from Bukit Bintang, which he had served for four terms.
Lee said that if he was allowed to remain as the candidate for the constituency, where he was confident of defending the seat, there would have been no reason for him to retire.
"This is the simple truth. There is no point belabouring this or prolonging the issue. It benefits no one. It belongs to the annals of history.
"As such, I wish to put this episode behind me," he added.
"I did what I needed to do to set the record straight in the face of vicious rumours against me during the 1990 election," noted Lee.
He also noted that he will not respond to any more similar comments from Lim Kit Siang or anybody else on the issue.
"Let the people be the final judge on my character and integrity and my relationship with Lim," Lee said.
The Bukit Bintang parliamentary seat was eventually contested by lawyer Wee Choo Keong, who also left DAP in the end.
On Sept 29, 1990, Lee, who was a DAP deputy secretary-general, stunned the nation when he announced his decision to quit but offered no reasons.
The silence, however, shifted the gears in the rumour mill too high.
