By Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Petaling, Lim Kit Siang, on Wednesday, 3rd September 1980:
DAP announces postponement of proposed Batu Caves Day on September 7
At the Press Conference in Kuala Lumpur on August 15, when I announced the formation of a DAP Save Batu Caves Action Committee under the Chairmanship holding of Batu caves Day on September 7, 1980 (coming Sunday), where Malaysian of all faith and races congregate at Batu Caves to demonstrate, by their presence, their concern for the 440 million year old national heritage and the religious shrine for 800,000 Hindus.
I had made it very clear however that this was merely a DAP proposal, and the initiative should be taken by the established environmentalist and conservationist group like the Environmental Protection Society of Malaysia (EPSM), Malayan Nature Society, the Batu Caves Protection Society, Friends of the Earth, etc. For the moment, the DAP Save Batu Caves Action Committee would play a mere supporting role.
Last Friday, on August 29, the Environmental Protection Society of Malaysia (EPSM) took the initiative to call a meeting of all interested environmentalist and conservationist group at Hotel Majestic to discuss the question of co-ordinated action in the campaign to save Batu Caves-which may collapse anytime during the present further extension of quarrying blasting till end of the year.
As the meeting on August 29 resolved that a Malaysian Conservation Day be held on October 12, focussing on Batu Caves, the DAP fully endorses the decision, and the DAP’s original proposal of a Batu Caves Day on Sept. 7 is therefore dropped, in favour of the Oct. 12 Malaysian Conservation Day- featuring Batu Caves.
Public concern must be further highlighted and aroused if there is to be responsible and responsive government action in the arena environmental and conservation protection. The Mentri Besar of Selangor for instance, has to date, failed to give any convincing reason as to why the two quarrying companies at Batu Caves had been given another extension period- apart from the obvious fact that the two companies would have more opportunities to make huge profits at the expense of irreparable harm to the 440 million-year-old natural heritage and the religious shrine for 800,000 Hindus.