Party Rakyat’s policy in language, education and culture

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary and Parliamentary Candidate, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a Dap Public Rally at Klebang Kechil on May 6 at 9p.m:

At a public rally in Batu Pahat, the Secretary-General of the University of Malaya Students’ Union and brother of the National Vice President of Party Rakyat, Syed Hamid Ali, accused the DAP of being a ‘communal party’ for seeking official language status for the Chinese language.

I am not surprised by Syed Hamid Ali’s statement, because he is only repeating the Party Rakyat stand.

The Party Rakyat, which has as its symbol Sukarno’s Indonesia bull wants only one language to exist in Malaysia. Syed Hamid Ali, like his brother and fellow-members in the Party Rakyat, including Inche Hasnul, want Chinese schools to be eliminated.

This is the main reason why the Labour Party broke off with the Party Rakyat, and led to the collapse of the Socialist Front. This is why the present bull’s head minus the pen and wheel symbol of the Labour Party.

There is not a single Chinese or Indian member in the Party Rakyat central executive council. It is an all-Malay leadership.
The Party Rakyat formerly had a strong branch in the Serdang new village in Selangor, which is completely Chinese in composition. But now, the present Party Rakyat leadership had suspended the entire Serdang Party Rakyat branch. Why is this?

The Party Rakyat is a fervent believer in Sukarno’s anti-Chinese persecutions in Indonesia, for the Chinese language, schools and culture have virtually been stamped cut in Indonesia.

Dare Inche Hasnul condemn Sukarno for his anti-Chinese activities? Not only Inche Hasnul dare not condemn Sukarno, he praised Sukarno and defended him for his anti-Chinese persecution campaign.

The Party Rakyat faithfully follows the UMNO and Alliance on the question of language, education and culture. Party Rakyat want a Malay or Indonesian Malaysia. They do not want a Malaysian Malaysia.

Up till today, Inche Hasnul and the Party Rakyat have not given a good reason why they oppose Chinese, Tamil and English to become official language.

Isn’t Malaysia a multi-lingual, multi-racial and multi-cultural society? Or is Malaysia a Malay nation, with the people permanently divided between first-class bumiputras and second-class non-bumiputras, with languages divided into first class languages and second-class languages?

The Party Rakyat is a party of the past. The DAP, on the other hand, is the party of tomorrow, and of the future.
A vote for the Sukarno bull-head will divide opposition vote and help the Alliance. A vote for the Rocket will be a vote to sink the sailing boat.

Voters of Malacca! Unite under the banner of the DAP and a Malaysian Malaysia, and together we shall write a glorious page in the history of Malaysia by launching a nation-wide campaign for racial, language and cultural equality – and defeat the forces of language intolerance, racial bigotry and religious fanaticism as represented by the Alliance and Party Rakyat.