Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, when speaking to Malacca DAP State Sub-Committee and Branch representative on Friday, 23rd June 1972 at 7p.m.
DAP’s participation in Rembau-Tampin by-election proof of DAP’s inner strength and basic resilience
The DAP Central Executive Committee, on June 18, 1972, has started to purge the Party of destructive and disruptive elements in the Party.
Discipline should be fearlessly enforced in the Party, regardless of one’s position, officer or capability, if the DAP is to continue as a serious political movement.
The DAP’s inner strength, basic solidity and united purpose is proved the last few days, through:
1. The courage and ability of the Central Executive Committee to take firm disciplinary action against two National Vice Chairman, Goh Hock Guan and A. Soorian;
2. The full support the party rank-and-file have given to the CEC, showing their complete trust in the integrity and action of the Central Executive Committee, proving false forecasts by our political enemies that the DAP is on the verge of crack-up;
3. The DAP’s participation in the Rembau-Tampin parliamentary by-election, which illustrates the DAP leadership’s basic confidence in the Party’s unity, solidarity and common purpose, for by entering the Rembau-Rompin Parliamentary by-election the DAP is making its initial effort to make a break-through into the rural areas. A party on the verge of collapse would never dare to strike out on new grounds or in new directions.
The DAP gained strength and power from people’s support, and we shall continue to be strong and powerful so long as we fulfil two conditions:
1. True, committed and dedicated to the ideals and objectives for which the DAP stands for in our fight for a genuine multi-racial, more just and equal, more democratic Malaysia;
2. A dedicate, capable and united political leadership which not in a moment of grave test or crisis, disintegrate from within or buckle under from pressure outside.
The DAP Central Executive Committee is conscious of our tasks, responsibilities and challenges, and with the full backing of the branches and the rank-and-file, the DAP will regain our sense of purpose, direction and bring closer the day the realisation of our ideals and objectives of a Malaysia where there is political, economic and cultural democracy.