The DAP will not accept the government’s offer of 10 minutes of airtime for opposition parties to present their election manifesto on Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) when Parliament is dissolved.

NONE Secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said he views the offer by Information, Communications and Culture Minister Rais Yatim as “an insult” to the party.

"We do not want to be beggars. Democracy is not charity or like giving alms. Giving us 10 minutes of airtime does not mean we have freedom of speech," he told a press conference in Penang today.    

"What we have always wanted is the right of reply, not one minute or one hour on TV. This is really a joke.

“We will not accept the offer because we do not want to give them the satisfaction and justification to feel as if they have practised press freedom or freedom of speech just by making this offer.”    

NONE Lim said PAS deputy president Mohamed Sabu (right) agrees with his views, and that he will contact PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim as well.

Lim was responding to Rais' statement last Friday that the offer would apply to both the BN and the opposition, but that the presentation would have to be pre-recorded.

Rais also said it is up to the parties to accept or reject the offer.

"They hit us every day on the campaign trail and then just give us 10 minutes for our manifesto?" Lim asked.

"This is our democratic right, we should not be begging for it. Don't think they can try to buy us for a mere 10 minutes.

“We want the right of reply, not only during the general election or campaign trail but at all times.”

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