Speech by DAP candidate for Serdang State by-election, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, who is also the DAP Organising Secretary, at seventh DAP Serdang by-election rally at Serdang Bahru new village on Sunday, 15 December 1968 at 8.p.m.
It is ridiculous that Malaysia, a nation of 10 million people, does not recognise Communist China, a nation of 700 million people.
It is dangerous when Malaysia joins company with some discredited forces in common causes to work for the overthrow of the communist regime on the mainland. This is not only an interference with the affairs of another country, and in this case with the biggest country in the world which is to become the dominant power in Asia, but earning further her enmity and courting trouble.
But this is exactly what the Alliance government is doing.
The Alliance sent a high-level party delegation to the first conference of the World Anti-Communist League held in Taipei, Taiwan in September last year.
Among the resolution passed at this conference, and which was fully supported by the Alliance delegation, was one which pledge to work for the downfall of the communist regime in China.
The resolution appealed to the “people of the free countries of the world to promote the establish of an international anti-communist alliance and to support the anti-communist struggles of the Chinese people on the mainland in every way so as to expedite the termination of communist rule and to actively support every anti-communist measure adopted by the government of the Republic of China under the leadership of President Chiang Kai-shek to liberate the Chinese people on the mainland.”
Malaysia is a character member of this World-Anti-Communist League, which is clearly an American brainchild. In fact, at the Taipeh inaugural meeting of the League, the Alliance delegation sought election to the League’s governing Board, the Executive Board, but failed.
It is presumptuous, foolhardy, short-sighted and downright stupid for the Alliance government to commit Malaysia in the World Anti-Communist League, with fanatical anti-Chinese communist forces.
Malaysia as a nation must learn the harsh facts of life. Chiang Kai Shek’s dream to regain the mainland of China is not our concern, and we should not associate ourselves in any manner with it.
Whatever Chiang Kai Shek’s dreams, the communist regime in China is there to stay. Malaysian must learn to live with China and vice versa. But we are not working towards such a situation when Malaysia declares herself with forces which seek to overthrow the communist regime, which is no more than a utopian dream of people who have completely lost touch with reality.
Regardless of a country’s ideology, our foreign policy must to make the maximum friends and the minimum number of enemies. All Malaysian must condemn the Alliance’s irresponsible action in committing Malaysia with an anti-communist China League.
I call on the Alliance government to break whatever relationship it has, through government or party, with the World-Anti-Communist League, in the interest of Malaysian nation and people.
We should work to promote greater trade ties with China and not with people who want to overthrow the communist regime. In this way, we may contribute to an earlier stabilization of China-Malaysia relationship to the profit of both.
Malaysia should also taken an independent foreign policy and recognise the communist regime in China, and support China’s admission into the United Nations. It is idiotic to pretend that a nation and government of 700 million does not exist.
Audited by: Joyce T. and Faiz M.