Month: April 1969

Merdeka University: Malay-ised ?

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary and Parliamentary Candidate for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, on 30th April 1969

Merdeka University: Can Tun Tan Siew Sin give an assurance that it will not be Malay-ised, as is the recommendation of Mr. Koh Kim Leng’s Abdul Rahman Talib Report, if the government join hands with its sponsors?

Tun Tan Siew Sin’s promised ‘important’ statement on the Merdeka University is a great letdown and disappointment.

Tun Tan said that ‘education is too vital a subject to be the plaything of opportunist politicians.’

Tun Tan is right, but he does not know he is condemning himself. The Merdeka University is a genuine educational institution, launched by educationists who have the welfare of the educational needs of our children at heart. It is the MCA which is guilty of trying to make ‘education a political plaything’ when it tried to counter the Merdeka University with a Tunku Abdul Rahman College. Continue reading Merdeka University: Malay-ised ?

The education issue on May 10

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary and Parliamentary Candidate for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a DAP Public Rally at Ayer Salak, Bukit Rambai, on 30th April 1969:

On May 10, when the voters go to cast their votes, they will also decide whether they endorse the ‘one nation, one language’ education policy of the exponents of a Malay Malaysia, and Indonesia Malaysia or the education policy of the advocates of Malaysian Malaysia.

The Alliance, through Mr. Koh Kim Leng’s Abdul Rahman Talib Education Report of 1960, has declared unequivocally that the Alliance want to close down all Chinese, Tamil and English schools, both at primary and secondary levels, and convert them into purely Malay schools.

The Party Rakyat’s education policy is exactly the same as the Alliance’s ‘one nation, one language’ education policy. The Party Rakyat in fact fully supports Mr. Koh Kim Leng’s Abdul Rahman Talib Education Report.

In its 1969 General Elections Manifesto, the Party Rakyat declared that they want “an education system with Malay as the main medium, use Malay as a medium for as many subjects as possible, abolish the teaching of English as a subject at primary level, encourage the learning of languages of the people, provide other international and scientific languages like French, Russian, German and Chinese as subjects at secondary level.” Continue reading The education issue on May 10

Malacca-wide signature campaign for reform to Malacca General Hospital

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary and Parliamentary Candidate for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang at the 8th DAP Public Rally at Kubu Stadium on Tuesday, 29th April 1969 at 9 p.m.;

Warning to Dato Tan Cheng Swee and Malacca Alliance: DAP will launch a Malacca-wide signature campaign for reform to Malacca General Hospital if call for public inquiry into the death of Choo Heng Hwa is unheeded and ignored

Speaking at a DAP Public Rally at Bachang Chew Loy, Malacca, a week ago, I called for a public inquiry into the unnecessary death of a Form Four pupil of St. David School, one Choo Heng Hwa.

Choo met with an accident last month, and was immediately taken to the Malacca General Hospital by his parents. The medical officer on duty examined him, and sent him home with the assurance that there was nothing wrong with him. The medical officer also rejected pleas of the boy’s parent to admit him into hospital for observation.

The next day, the boy’s condition worsened. The parent again took him to hospital, but he was not immediately attended to. The boy died subsequently. Continue reading Malacca-wide signature campaign for reform to Malacca General Hospital

1969 Election Campaign issues

Statement by DAP Organising Secretary and Parliamentary Candidate for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a Press Conference in Kuala Lumpur on 29th April 1969 at 12.30p.m.

1. A challenge to Mr. Khaw Kai Boh

At a press conference yesterday, the MCA National Vice President, Mr. Khaw Kai Boh, alleged that two weeks ago, I had written a letter to China Press warning it not to publish any news which are detrimental to DAP interests.

This is a downright lie. I challenge Mr.Khaw Kai Boh to stake his entire political reputation and career on this allegation. If he cannot prove this allegation, that I have warned the China Press not to publish any news detrimental to DAP, then he should step down and retire from the political arena in disgrace – as a man not fit to be a politician. If he can prove that I had warned the China Press not to publish any news detrimental to DAP interest, I am prepared to step down from the Malaysian political arena. Continue reading 1969 Election Campaign issues

DAP accused Alliance and MCA of having a foreigner, to direct its general elections propaganda campaign

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary and Parliamentary Candidate for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at the 7th DAP Public Rally at Bandar Kaba on Sunday, 27th April 1969 at 9p.m.

DAP Accuses alliance and MCA of having a foreigner, who is probably a CIA agent, to direct its general elections propaganda campaign

In the past one week, Tun Tan Siew Sin, Inche Khir Johari, Inche Musa Hitam, running short of materials for speeches and statement, have individually invented tales of foreigners meddling with Malaysian politics by siding with the Opposition.

When they were challenged to substantiate their allegations, they hut up their mouth and having nothing else to add. This clearly expose the emptiness of their allegations, which are sheer fabrications to confuse the people and discredit the Opposition. Continue reading DAP accused Alliance and MCA of having a foreigner, to direct its general elections propaganda campaign

If the people are united to set up Merdeka University, the government must bow down to people’s wishes

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary and Parliamentary Candidate for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a DAP Public Rally at Serdang Bahru new village on Saturday, 26th a rill 1969 at 9p.m.:

At the Serdang Bahru by-election last year, we in the DAP stressed that our country is at the crossroads of a Malaysian Malaysia or Malay Malaysia.

Since the Serdang by-election, more and more evidence have come to light to prove the UMNO’s determination to realize a Malay Malaysia, leading to the elimination of other languages, cultures and way of life.

In January this year, Dato Chua Song Lim, MCA National Vice President, ridiculed Nanyang University degrees by saying that its academic standards were too low to deserve government recognition.

What did the Serdang State Assemblyman, Mr. Thuan Phaik Phk, himself a Nanyang University graduate, say to this insult to his own degrees and those of his follow graduates from Nantah? Continue reading If the people are united to set up Merdeka University, the government must bow down to people’s wishes

Khir Johari unfit to look after the education of our children

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary and Parliamentary Candidate for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, to DAP election volunteer workers at DAP Malacca Branch on Thursday, 24th April 1969 at 9.30a.m.:

Call for Inche Khir Johari’s resignation as Education Minister as he has proved to be unfit to look after the education of our children

At DAP public rallies, I had pointed out the injustice of demanding thousands of Chinese school teachers to pass the English-media Senior Cambridge examination within three years or face dismissal. I had pointed out that if Inche Khir Johari were to sit for the Senior Cambridge examination himself, he would be the first to fail.

But I had apparently over-estimated him. Inche Khir Johari confessed in Malacca yesterday, at Dewan Negeri Melaka while giving out $120,000 to 15 schools, that if he were to sit for the L.C.E examination, he would not pass also.

In fact, I have come to wonder whether Inche Khir Johari would pass the Standard V assessment Test if he sits for it!
Inche Khir Johari is the most illiterate Education Minister in the world, and it seems to be his ambition to ensure that the new generation of Malaysians becomes as illiterate as he is. Continue reading Khir Johari unfit to look after the education of our children

Party Rakyat and Inche Hasnul

Press Statement by DAP Organising Secretary and Parliamentary Candidate for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, on April 24, 1969:

The Party Rakyat and its Parliamentary Candidate for Bandar Melaka, Inche Hasnul bin Hadi, have started attacking me and my party at their rallies and election campaign. Inche Hasnul has asked me a few questions.

I will answer these questions in the course of the campaign, but as this is my first public pronouncement on the Party Rakyat, I wish to put on record a few points first.

Before Nomination Day on 5th April 1969, we in the DAP reached and electoral understanding, first with the People’s Progressive Party, and later with the Gerakan Ra’ayat Malaysia, to avoid three-cornered election fights which can only benefit the Alliance because of split opposition votes.

The DAP was also prepared to reach an electoral understanding with the Party Rakyat, but the Party Rakyat spurned and rejected having anything to do with an electoral understanding with the DAP. The Party Rakyat was determined that in Bandar Melaka Parliamentary Constituency, there should be a three- cornered fight. What are the motives for the Party Rakyat decision, only Party Rakyat officials will know. I leave it to the people to draw their own conclusions. Continue reading Party Rakyat and Inche Hasnul

Charge about the ‘unholy alliance between DAP and PMIP’ sheer fabrication!

Press Statement by DAP Organising Secretary and Parliamentary Candidate for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, on 23rd April 1969:

Lim Kit Siang describes Tun Tan Siew Sin’s charge about the ‘unholy alliance between DAP and PMIP’ as ‘sheer fabrication’!

Tun Tan Siew Sin’s charge that the DAP and the PMIP have reached an ‘unholy Alliance’ to fight the Alliance Party is sheer fabrication and a figment of Tun Tan’s overheated imagination.

The DAP has absolutely nothing in common with the PMIP, and we will not touch them with a barge-pole.

The DAP stands for a multi-racial, multi-lingual and multi-cultural Malaysia, while the PMIP stands for a Malay and Islamic Malaysia.
Continue reading Charge about the ‘unholy alliance between DAP and PMIP’ sheer fabrication!

DAP’s three-Point Plan to save Malacca from the fate of a Dead City

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary and Parliamentary Candidate for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at the 6th DAP Public Rally at Bachang Chew Loy, Malacca, on Tuesday, 22nd April 1969:

As a result of a decade of Alliance neglect and lack of foresight, Malacca is fast becoming a Dead City.

Unemployment in Malacca has worsened, with thousands of Malacca youths roaming the streets with Senior Cambridge and Senior Middle Three certificates, or even with Nanyang and Formosan University degrees and qualifications – without jobs.

Stevedores at quayside are lying idle without work. Businessman and shops in the town centre report less and less business.

And now, with the Terendak Camp to be closed down by the beginning of next year, Malacca will enter a serious economic crisis which she is entirely unprepared to meet and resolve by a decade of Alliance incompetence, negligence and failures.
Ten years ago, far-sighted people were talking of the need to have a port in Malacca, an industrial estate and to develop the tourist potential of the oldest Sultanate in Malaysia, to rejuvenate Malacca economy and life. Continue reading DAP’s three-Point Plan to save Malacca from the fate of a Dead City