Speech by DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a DAP Public Rally at Pandamaram New Village, near Port Swettenham, on Sunday, 23.2.1969 at 8p.m.
The DAP and the Gerakan have reached an electoral understanding for the coming general elections to avoid three-cornered electoral contests.
The DAP will field candidates in all the Parliamentary and State constituencies in Klang. This means that the DAP will contest the Damansara, Klang and Kapar Parliamentary seats, and the Bukit Raja, Kampong Jawa, Port Swettenham and Sementa State seats.
The people of Klang and the Surrounding areas will have a clear choice before them in the next general elections which will be held most probably in May.
They have to choose between the racialism, feudalism, capitalism, corruption and incompetence of the Alliance, and the DAP crusade for a clean, honest and effective government, cultural democracy, multi-lingualism, democratic, socialism and a Malaysian Malaysia.
The DAP will field candidates who are dedicated to the cause of a more just, equal and efficient Malaysian society, and not like Alliance candidates, who are dedicated only to their personal quest for wealth, fortune and status.
The DAP candidates will be the first true band of Malaysian nationalist patriots , because they will put true Malaysian interest be a fervent believer of the concept of a Malaysian Malaysia, who regard himself as a Malaysian first and last. They will also be fearless warriors of justice, equality and human dignity.
The battle in 1969, is for the DAP, the beginning of the long political battle in Malaysia. It is preparation for the bigger battle in 1974, and even bigger one in 1979.
The DAP is a long-term political movement, formed not to fight one election, but to fight as many elections as necessary to win the hears and minds of the majority of Malaysian – so that those who believe in a democratic socialist and a Malaysian Malaysia can run this country for the larger good of Malaysians.
This is why the DAP has been able to capture the imagination and support of young and idealistic Malaysians. The DAP is basically an ideal and a crusade and not an opportunistic get –together of opportunistic politicians.