Speech by DAP Secretary-General, Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, at the DAP Public Rally in Segamat, Johor on Sunday, 19th August 1973 at 9p.m.
DAP calls for increase of government expenditure for higher education to ensure that every Malaysian student who is qualifies get a place in University.
One of the biggest educational problems facing Malaysia today is the paradox where more and more Malaysian students, with the intelligence and qualifications, could not find places and opportunities for higher education on Malaysia.
Many of our youths, who have achieved excellent academic results in the Malaysian Certificate of Education, and who would have gone on to attain professional qualifications with distinction, are rotting away in their homes because they cannot get into pre-university or university classes.
This is a grave social and educational injustice which the people must oppose vigorously, for this also waste scarce educated manpower in Malaysia, which is not oversupplied with qualified manpower.
It is this lop-sided and irrational policy which led to the continued discrimination and refusal on the part of the government to give the 10,000 graduates of Nantah and Formosan, Indian and other universities their rightful place in the economic development of the country.
The DAP calls for the increase of government expenditure for higher education in Malaysia to ensure that every Malaysian student, with the intelligence and qualifications, is given pre-university and university places so that their talents will not be wasted away.
DAP not satisfied with inquiry into MCE results
Last year 14,400 candidates for MCE examination were failed because of their failure in the Bahasa Malaysia paper, despite getting a string of distinctions in other subjects.
This was the third year of mass failure in succession over the Bahasa Malaysia, bringing the three year’s grand total of failures to 30,000.
The DAP had called for a public inquiry into the MCE education and examination system, for it is clearly impossible that a fair and just education and examination system can produce a situation where 30,000 intelligent students who score distinctions in other subjects, cannot pass in the Bahasa Malaysia.
The Ministry of Education last week said that the Cambridge Examinations Syndicate had made a study and were satisfied that there was nothing wrong with MCE examination.
The DAP is not satisfied with such cursory and off-handed dismissal of a subject concerning the future of 30,000 Malaysian students, and in the next few years, will affect double this figure of students.
Only an impartial public inquiry can go to the root of this question, and the DAP reiterates our call for an open investigation into the entire subject of MCE education and examination.
Has Minister for New Villages, Mr.Lee San Choon any plan to draw up blueprint for new village upliftment?
Since his appointment as Minister in charge of New Villages three months ago, Mr. Lee San Choon has been running away from his responsibilities.
When I asked him in Parliament last month, Mr.Lee San Choon claimed that it was not his responsibility to draw up a blueprint for new village upliftment, because he was a Minister directly under Prime Minister’s portfolio as he was then a Minister of Special Functions.
This was a highly irresponsible reply, for this means that his Ministerial appointment, through in name to help new villages, was really not to bring about material changes in the life and shape in the new village economy.
With the Cabinet reshuffle, Mr.Lee has been specifically assigned to new village responsibilities.
I will want to know whether Mr.Lee San Choon has now any plans to draw up a blueprint for the economic upliftment of the new villages and the 900,000 new villagers in Malaysia.
The Alliance Governments proclaimed that under the Second Malaysia Plan, the poor of all races will be assisted and uplifted economically and socially.
The Second Malaysia Plan has passed more than half way stage, and the 900,000 new villagers, who represent part of the have-nots in Malaysia, have not in any way received governmental aid or attention apart from empty propaganda gestures and endless Ministerial speeches and statements.
I will like here to ask Mr.Lee San Choon to publicly declare what the 900,000 new villagers of Malaysia can expect under the Second Malaysia Plan, in terms of new job opportunities created for new village youths, houses for the new village homeless, land for the new village landless.
Or are the 900,000 new villagers to remain neglected and treated like step-children, as they were so treated under the First Malaysia Plan from 1965-1970?