Barisan Nasional (BN) leaders should emulate their Gerakan counterpart Toh Kin Woon in telling the truth to Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, said Opposition leader Lim Kit Siang today.

He said the ruling coalition's leaders and ministers should have "at least 30 percent of Toh's sincerity and honesty to speak the truth."

Lim was referring to a letter from Toh to Malaysiakini yesterday, in which the Gerakan leader said he "disagreed with the country's leaders" over their stance concerning the rallies.

Toh's letter came in the wake of a mass rally organised by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) on Nov 25 which was condemned by BN leaders.

"They (BN leaders) must also tell (Prime Minister) Abdullah (Ahmad Badawi) that the people's discontents and unhappiness are a greater threat to the country's peace and stability than peaceful marches, pickets and demonstrations," said Lim.

Losing touch

The opposition leader said only one BN leader has thus far "called a spade a spade" and told Abdullah the truth.

"When Abdullah became the fifth prime minister, he made the famous pledge to hear the truth, however unpleasant, which he had infamously dishonoured in the past four years.

"Recently, Abdullah's pledge to hear the truth was revised by Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin as applying only to BN leaders and government officials but not the media, the civil society or ordinary Malaysians," he said.

However, the veteran politician noted that in the past four years, since Abdullah took over, BN leaders had been afflicted by the 'dare not speak the truth syndrome'.

This, he added, resulted in Abdullah setting of a new record in Malaysian political history as a prime minister who lost touch with the national pulse in the shortest time since assuming office.

"It is refreshing that in this ocean of distortions, half-truths and downright lies passing off as truths, Toh gloriously broke ranks," he said.

Are there others?

In his hard-hitting letter, Toh, who is also a Penang state executive councillor, said the government should instead of condemning the rallies, be more concerned over the grievances, frustrations and disappointments that have brought thousands to the streets.

Meanwhile, Lim said BN leaders should tell the prime minister the truth whether about the ' Walk for Justice ' by lawyers, the Bersih and Hindraf rallies or the pickets by the Malaysian Trade Union Congress (MTUC).

"Is there any other BN leader, occupying higher and more important government and party positions whether at the national or state level, who could back up Toh to start the process of telling Abdullah the truth?" he asked.

"What about MIC president S Samy Vellu, Gerakan's Dr Lim Keng Yaik and Dr Koh Tsu Koon, MCA's Ong Ka Ting and the other three MCA ministers?

"Is there none from the BN component parties in Sabah and Sarawak? Is there not a single Umno minister or leader who could be relied upon to speak the unvarnished truth?" he added.