Month: January 1969

A letter to Editor of Thong Pao- Fund for Mr. Chan Kok Seng

(8.1.69)
Sir,

I enclose a small personal contribution of $20 towards the fund for Mr. Chan Kok Seng, to fit him with artificial limbs. I appeal to all charitable and kind-hearted Malaysian, from all walks of life, to make their contribution to rehabilitate the life of an unfortunate youth.

The ordeal of Mr.Chan Kok Seng has two lessens for us:

Lessen One: There is increasing lawlessness in the country with open robbery, extortion and violence in the towns mounting over the months.

This reflects not only the inability of the police to maintain law and order, but the failure of the government’s social and economic policies to provide a good life for every Malaysian. Continue reading A letter to Editor of Thong Pao- Fund for Mr. Chan Kok Seng

Calling for a youth representative in the Dewan Negara

The DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, today welcomed a resolution at a youth seminar in Kuala Kubu Bahru calling for a youth representative in the Dewan Negara.

Mr.Lim said the destiny of this country is in the hands of youths, as sixty per cent of our populations of close to 10 million people are under 25 years of age.

He stressed that the youths must be prepared to lead the country, by playing a more responsible role in nation-building. There must also be avenues for the youths to express their needs and aspirations, on the national arena.

Mr. Lim said the youths should not only have a Senator of their own, they should also have youths as Minister and Assistant Minister of youth, as only youths can better understand the problem of their own generation.

Mr. Lim said Inche Senu, who is 50 years old, and Engku Mohsein, who is 40 years, and who are respectively youth Minister and Assistant Minister, should give way to people who are below 35 years of age.

Mr. Lim also pointed out that many Malaysian youth movements are being led by people who are no more youths. This is cramping and stunting the development of responsibility and leadership among Malaysian youths. Continue reading Calling for a youth representative in the Dewan Negara

An Open Letter and Invitation to the people of Sungei Way.

Dear Fellow Malaysians of Sungei Way,

I wish, personally and on behalf of the DAP, to thank all of you who had supported and voted for the DAP in the recent Serdang by-election, and upheld the cause for a Malaysian Malaysia.

Although we did not win, we have laid the basis for certain victory in the coming general elections.

The campaign for a Malaysian Malaysia has just started. The new Malaysian nation we all want is one where there is equality and justice for all races and classes, where there is no first-class or and second-class Malaysian citizens by dividing them into ‘bumiputras’ and ‘non-bumiputras’ ; where no one races, languages and cultures through a ‘one nation, one language, one culture’ policy; where any child can go to school and learn, be taught and examined in his mother tongue where every worker, farmer, hawker, landless and the poor are cared by the government.

But whether we succeed in achieving a Malaysian Malaysia will finally depend on whether there are enough Malaysian men and women of idealism and courage who are prepared to join other like-minded Malaysians to defeat the forces of racialism, feudalism and corruption. Continue reading An Open Letter and Invitation to the people of Sungei Way.

Bukit Bintang- A base for the Malaysian Malaysia crusade

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary, Mr Lim Kit Siang, to the Pudu DAP Branch on Monday, 6th January 1969 at 8p.m.

The General Elections, which might be held as early in March, will be the first serious test for the Democratic Action Party since the formation less than three years ago.

The DAP was formed by the idealistic Malaysian who grouped together to bring about radical changes in Malaysian Society, to wipe out poverty, discrimination, corruption, racial prejudice and feudalism.

Unlike other political parties, the DAP is a tightly-knit organization with a collective leadership united on all decisions and policy issues.

This is the secret of the unity, consistency, and coherence of the DAP since its formation.

This qualities are necessary if the DAP is to become a movement, capable of challenging the very basis of Alliance power over a period of time.

We in the DAP are conscious of the fact if that the Alliance cannot be toppled in one year or two years, or in just one general elections. It will take several years, but whether it take five, ten or fifteen years, we in the DAP are resolved to continue the crusade for a Malaysian Malaysia until victory is ours. Continue reading Bukit Bintang- A base for the Malaysian Malaysia crusade

DAP calls for legalisation of existing squatter areas to solve squatter problem.

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a tea party at Puchong 14.m.s on Sunday, 5th January 1969 at 6p.m. to thank Serdang by-election workers and supporters of DAP

The granting of land to the landless, regardless of race, was the first of the DAP’s Serdang Twenty Points, which constituted the DAP’s by-election pledge. Throughout the by-election campaign, the DAP campaigned for a speedy, liberal and humans solution to the grave landless and squatter problem in Selangor and Malaysia.

In Kuala Lumpur alone, there are about 200,000 squatters. People become squatters not because they are born squatters, just as people become thieves, burglars and robbers, not because they are born thieves, burglars and robbers.

They are all victims of social forces beyond their individual control. They become squatters because they could not afford renting a house or buying a piece of land, as they are unemployed or underemployed.

The grave squatter problem in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor is a reflection of the grave failure of the social and economic policy of the Alliance government to provide a decent life for every Malaysian. Continue reading DAP calls for legalisation of existing squatter areas to solve squatter problem.

Teachers and Politics

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, when addressing the Selangor State Committee meeting at Kuala Lumpur DAP Branch premises on Sunday, 5.1.69 at 10a.m.

The Ministry of Education has sacked Inche Kassim Ahmad, national chairman of Party Rakyat, as a graduate teacher of Sekolah Abdullah Munshi in Penang.

It is clear that Inche Kassim Ahmad’s dismissal was because of his activity in an opposition party. If Inche Kassim Ahmad’s had been active in the UMNO, say as Penang UMNO Chairman, he would never have been sacked.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of teachers who are active UMNO, MCA and MIC members and ward leaders, whose political activity are not only encouraged by the ruling party, but who have been awarded P.P.M.s and other titles for their ‘contributions’ to the Alliance.

These Alliance teachers can never be wrong, and are given a blank cheque to do what they want.

But teachers who wish to join and be active in opposition parties are harassed, intimidated and even victimized by the Ministry of Education. Continue reading Teachers and Politics

DAP condemns Alliance government move to amend Constitution to freeze by-elections

The DAP Organising Secretary, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, today issued the following statement (4.1.69):

The DAP condemns the Alliance government for its move to amend the Constitution at the next sitting of Parliament, beginning next week, to freeze by-elections until the general elections. Only an undemocratic and irresponsible government will contemplate such a move.

The reasons that have been given by Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Abdul Razak in justification for freezing by elections are flimsy, frivolous and do not bear examination.

Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Abdul Razak said by elections “cost money”, “will in convenience the public” and “embarrass the government.” And that as general elections would be held later this year, it is not necessary to hold by election.

The excuse about money is most ridiculous. Every by election costs money. The general elections cost even more money.

If the Alliance is allowed to set the precedent to tinker with the Constitution and freeze by-elections, in five or ten years’ time, when the Alliance faces the possibility of losing federal power, it will argue that general elections coasts even more money and amend the Constitution to freeze general elections. Continue reading DAP condemns Alliance government move to amend Constitution to freeze by-elections