1979 National Day Message
By Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Petaling, Lim Kit Siang:
DAP MPs and State Assemblymen to contribute to National Warriors Fund: Call for National Service to make all young Malaysians of all races to work and serve as one people
On the 22nd National Day of Malaysia, our country is faced with a grave crisis of confidence, both in nation building and in the government.
The past year has seen the rearing of the ugly head of religious intolerance and racial exclusivist, which run counter to the very basis of Malaysia as a multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-lingual and multi-cultural nation.
The policies of the Government has also created crisis of confidence because of the following major issues:
• The continued refusal of the Government to resolve expeditiously and fairly with the legitimate aspirations of parents and their children to educational justice and fair play;
• The failure of the government to give priority interests to the needs of the poor and low-income groups, as seen by the spate of unjustified price increases, the most recent being the cement price increase and soon to be followed by another round of oil price increase, all of which will inflict on poor Malaysians another round of galloping inflation eating away the value of the Malaysian dollar;
• The spread of corruption and widespread of misuse of power for personal benefits;
• A civil service which is insensitive to the need to serve the people by providing efficient and courteous service;
• Unchecked violation of human rights of Malaysians.
The DAP calls on Malaysian leaders and Malaysians to be conscious and always remind themselves to act in a way which seeks to unite Malaysians rather than to divide the people.
One way to promote greater and more lasting unity is for the Government to announce and implement a National Service, where all Malaysian youths, regardless of race, will serve and work in the common cause of training to defend the nation. The Dap urges this proposal to the serious consideration of the Government, for it will also emphasis that the defense of the nation is the responsibility of all Malaysians regardless of race.
DAP MPs and State Assemblymen will contribute to the Nation Warriors’ Fund, the details of which would be announced later.