Comment by Lim Kit Siang, Organising Secretary, DAP, 29.8.68
The passage of an amendment to a Bill by the Philippines House of Representatives which declared Sabah to be part of the Philippines is “infantile and irresponsible.”
It is just like President Sukarno colouring Philippines from one end and Madagascar to the other as part of Indonesia. Everybody knows what became of Sukarno.
Such an act is infantile because it will not be able to change one dot of the situation. It is irresponsible because all it can do is to sour up further the already strained Filipino-Malaysian relationship.
What is really unbelievable is that the Philippines House of Representative, guardian of Philippines democracy, a self-proclaimed bastion of the free world, should allow itself to be the butt of ridicule and contempt by adopting such an amendment.
The hand of former President Macapagal, the man who next to Sukarno has done the most to poison South-East Asian friendship and co-operation, must be behind the amendment, which was moved by a Congressman of Macapagal’s Opposition Liberal Party.
Macapagal is apparently trying to make another bid for the Philippines Presidency by taking an outright chauvinistic and imperialistic line.
The amendment needs President Marcos’ assent before becoming law. The DAP hopes that President Marcos will have more sense and responsibility than Macapagal and the Liberal Party and veto the amendment.
More than the political future either of Macapagal or Marcos is involved here. What is even more important, is whether the Philippines legislature and government can prove to the world that it is a sane and rational government, not easily driven to wild Sukarno-like adventures and day-dreams, in order to distract attention from pressing domestic problems.
Audited on 2021-04-21.