Umno vice-president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi today called on his party members and Barisan Nasional component parties to “bring down the Lim dynasty” in the 14th general elections.

Speaking at the Kota Melaka constituency where DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang made his political debut in 1969, Zahid said the time has come for Chinese voters, in particular, to stop falling prey to empty promises made by the opposition.

"We were tested twice in GE12 and GE13, and if we don't work hard and smart, we will also be history, similar to the Melaka empire,” said Zahid, who is assuming the duties of Umno deputy president, in his speech to officiate the Kota Melaka Umno division meeting held at a hotel in Banda Hilir.

“Therefore, ‘Ini Kalilah’ (The time around) we destroy the DAP at the coming GE14.

“The DAP era will crash, the DAP empire will break apart and Lim Kit Siang’s dynasty will fall. I urge the Chinese, enough of being lied to by the DAP and the time (has come) to turn back to Barisan Nasional,” he stressed, using DAP's own election battle cry against them.

Earlier, the deputy prime minister said it is a historical fact that many “empires” including the Malacca Sultanate had fallen due to internal strife as a result of a lack of loyalty.

The same situation, Zahid claimed, has been happening in the DAP with purported unhappiness from members allegedly left out as delegates to elect the party’s Central Executive Committee line-up.

“When an organisation is not strong, there is no loyalty, then it will be the end of the empire.

“Why do I compare Melaka with the DAP? Because the DAP dynasty started with a man from Batu Pahat who lived in Kota Melaka and became Kota Melaka MP,” Zahid said in reference to Lim, pointing out that the veteran politician has since contested in Penang, Ipoh and currently Johor.

Also present were Melaka Umno liaison chairperson Idris Haron, Umno executive secretary Abdul Rauf Yusoh, and Kota Melaka Umno division chief Abdul Latiff Tamby Chik.

According to the News Straits Times, Abdul Latiff had earlier announced that MCA Youth's Young Professionals & Varsity Students Bureau Chairperson Eric Choo Wei Sern will contest the Kota Melaka Parliamentary seat in the upcoming general election under the MCA ticket.