Speech by DAP Secretary-General, Member of Parliament for Petaling and Malacca State Assemblyman for Kubu, Lim Kit Siang, at the formation of the protem committee of the South East Asia Park (SEA Park) DAP Branch held in Petaling Jaya on Monday, 24th July 1978 at 6.30 p.m.
DAP to have major organisational shake-up to turn DAP into a more effective political movement.
The DAP is to have a major organisational shake-up to turn the DAP into a more effective political movement to strive for the party’s political ideals and objectives, and to better represent and defend the people’s rights and interests.
At this moment of time, new branches are being formed all over country, and inactive branches being revived. We are taking the first steps to turn the DAP into a mass political movement.
With the formation of the SEA Park DAP Branch protem committee, there will now be three branches in Petaling Jaya. I hope a protem committee for PJ New Town Branch would be established shortly.
It will be the task of every branch not only to heighten the political awareness of the people, but to be a like between the party and the people, and to also organise constituency programmes to help in solving some of the constituency problems of the people.
We want active branches capable of political initiatives and not branches which exist in name only.
As politics affect every aspect of our life, whether in terms of jobs, education opportunities, school places, social and cultural life, Malaysians cannot afford to be indifferent to politics. Ever Malaysian must take an active interest, and better still, play an active part in politics, if we want to help shape our own destiny. I welcome Malaysians who wish to take part in the DAP’s political struggle to come forward to join us – for this is the time for action.
I regard Organisation of the Party as one of the three most important party tasks in the next five years. This is why on Sunday there will be a meeting of organising secretaries of all states to work out a organisation strategy – which will guide the Party’s expansion until the next general elections.
Telegram to Prime Minister Hussein Onn to allow Chian Heng Kai and Chan Kok Kit to be sworn in as MPs on Monday.
I have sent a telegram to the Prime Minister, Dato Hussein Onn, asking him to make arrangements to allow DAP MPs in detention, Sdr. Chian Heng Kai(Batu Gajah) and Sdr. Chan Kok Kit (Sungei Besi) to be sworn in on Monday. They can be esorted from the Kaunting Detention Camps. This is urgent to ensure that both Sungei Besi and Batu Gajah are not declared as vacant seats because under Article 59 of the Constitution, a MP who does not take his seat and sworn in within three months of the first meeting of Parliament (which will be Monday, 31 July), his seat will be declared vacant.
My telegram to the Prime Minister reads: “Please arrange for MP for Sungei Besi Chan Kok Kit and MP for Batu Gajah Chian Heng Kai, currently in detention in Kamunting, to be sworn in Parliament on July 31 in view of Article 59 of Federal Constitution that a MP who does not take his seat within three months of the first meeting of Parliament, his seat would be declared vacant.”