Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Lim Kit Siang, at a DAP Public Rally in Rawang on Saturday, 25th May 1974 at 9 p.m.
1. DAP calls on Tun Razak to concentrate on efforts to make China a major trading partner of Malaysia in his forthcoming six-day state visit to China
In his six-day State visit to China, Tun Razak should concentrate, among other things, on making China one of Malaysia’s major trading partners and to lessen our reliance on the industrialised countries of the West and Japan.
This will be one way to combat imported inflation, by the shifting of sources of supply from higher priced exporters to cheaper suppliers in East Asia, like the People’s Republic of China.
It is a matter of concern, therefore, that there has been a considerable decline in the imports from the People’s Republic of China since 1970 up till 1972., from $243.4 million in 1969, falling to $228.4 million in 1970, $202.4 million in 1971 and $94.6 million in 1972.
China’s products are also cheaper than the other countries, and the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China next week should be an excellent basis for Malaysia to enter into a kore fruitful economic and commercial relationship with China.
2. Loyalty of Malaysian Chinese should not be questioned, nor should Malaysian Chinese expect any of their problems to be solved by establishment of diplomatic ties
The establishment of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China should be welcomed by all Malaysians, and this should not be an occasion or an excuse for anyone to question or doubt the loyalty of Malaysian Chinese to Malaysia.
The Malaysian Chinese should also be realistic, and it would be a grave misjudgment if anyone thinks that with the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China, any of the problem of the country have been resolved, or that China would interfere in the internal affairs of the country on the side of any one group.
While rejoicing in the establishment of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and China, we Malaysians must realise that our problems whether in the field of education, employment, poverty, cultural freedom, are still with us, and it is finally in our own hands that we decide what type of future we and our children are going to have, and not in the hands of forces outside Malaysia.
It is in this light that I call on Malaysians who think and feel alike with the DAP to want to bring about a more just and equal society to come forward to join in the democratic struggle to make this country a better place for our children to live in.