1974: An Eventful Year
1974 had been an eventful year for the DAP. We fought the 1974 general elections and emerged as virtually the only Opposition in West Malaysia. In Malacca, we are the sole Opposition, and although we have only four Assemblymen in an Assembly of 20, we have proved that we are capable of speaking up for the hopes and fears of the people. The Malacca State Assembly will be very lively for the next five years, and we hope that the Malacca State Assembly will be convened regularly so that it can perform its function and role as the highest legislative chamber and forum in the Malacca State.
The DAP’s recent contest in the Alor Pongsu by-election in Perak had proved that we are making headway into the rural areas. We did not expected to win in Alor Pongsu when we fielded a candidate there last month, but to establish ourselves in a predominantly rural a rea.
The Director of the National Front by-elections campaign in Alor Pongsu, Inche Ramli Omar, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Communication, is on record in a local press as saying on nomination day that the DAP would not secure more than 2,000 votes.
Inche Ramli Omar’s calculation was based on their assessment that the DAP candidate there would not secure any Malay support, and if the DAP had failed to make any significant impact in the Malay areas in Alor Pongsu, Ramli Omar’s estimate would be proved right.
However, we secured about 3,500 votes, which showed that we have not only non-Malay support, but also a significant measure of Malay support.