Speech by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary – General and Member of Parliament for Petaling, Lim Kit Siang, at the Meeting to form a Petaling Jaya DAP Liaison Committee held at DAP PJ Headquarters, on Sunday, 13th August 1978 at 6 pm.
DAP fully accepts the Malay sultanate system in Malaysia and denies press report of mass membership Resignations from the Party
This meeting of officials from three DAP branches in Petaling Jaya is to form a DAP Petaling Jaya Liaison Committee to co – ordinate branch activities and party work in the Petaling Jaya area. Since elections on July 8, two new branches have been formed, namely PJ Old Town Branch and SEA Park Branch. Another branch needs to be established so that there can be closer party – people relationship, and this is in PJ New Town and this will be the first task of the PJ DAP Liaison Committee.
The DAP is a political organisation, and as such party members must always be aware of the political developments in the country.
In the past few days, the Perak six Assemblymen affair has been the hot topic of discussion. As Sdr. Lim Cho Hock and I have explained, what happened in Perak State Assembly swearing – in ceremony was unintended and most unfortunate. There was no intention on the part of anyone of our six DAP Perak State Assemblymen to declare that they did not owe allegiance to the Sultan of Perak. As Sdr. Lim Cho Hock said, everyone in Perak owes allegiance to Sultan of Perak.
Unfortunately, in the last few days, some of our political opponents in the Barisan Nasional and even some mosquito opposition parties have tried to ‘fish in troubled waters’. They are going around spreading the tale that the DAP is opposed to the Malay Sultanate system, and wants to establish a Republic in Malaysia.
Let me take this opportunity to declare the DAP’s official position, that the DAP fully supports the Sultanate system.
I call on these politicians in Barisan Nasional, and in the mosquito opposition, to stop distorting and ‘fishing in troubled waters’.
I read in some newspaper about mass resignation of members from the Party in Perak. Up till today, I have not received a single letter of resignation from any party member.
I am sure loyal and sincere party members will accept the party explanation, that what happened at the Perak State Assembly swearing – in ceremony was not intended nor deliberate, that the Party is sorry for what had happened, and that the Party fully supports the Sultanate system in Malaysia.