Speech by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Petaling, Lim Kit Siang, when officiating at the opening ceremony of the DAP Branch in Federal Territory on Sunday, 3rd May 1981 at 6.30 p.m.
DAP to forma General Elections Committee to prepare for the next general elections which may be held in 15 months’ time
The DAP will form a General Elections Committee to prepare for the next national general elections which may be held in 15 months’ time. The DAP General Elections Committee will work out the DAP’s national strategy for the next general elections, both on the national and state-by-state basis.
The Party has also issued a directive to all DAP State and branch committees to prepare themselves for the next general elections to be held as early as in 15 months’ time, and to submit a 15-mohth programme of activities in a run-up preparation to the next general elections.
Despite the Barisan-inspired turmoils in the DAP recently, where a handful of selfish and greedy DAP MPs and State Assembly tried to do the dirty work of the Barisan inside the party to create maximum internal dissension and turmoil, the DAP has demonstrated that we are basically solid and united.
At one time, the Barisan Nasional leaders who masterminded the DAP internal turmoils believed that they could succeed in creating DAP revolts in Penang, Kedah, Perlis, Perak, Malacca, Johore, Sabah and Sarawak, but they have been proved wrong.
Even in Penang, where inflated figures of hundreds and thousands of DAP members were reported to be quitting, we find the same handful who keep appearing in the press announcing their resignation and some groups have been reported to be resigning at least three or four times.
At the meeting of the Penang DAP Elections Committee yesterday, I have given the Penang DAP State Committee three months to fully restore and reconstitute all DAP branches in Penang, and to expand and establish new branches.
I now believe that the process of restoring and reconstituting all DAP branches in Penang could be completed by this month itself, and beginning from June, Penang DAP could concentrate on consolidating its organization and embarking on a party expansion.
DAP members and supports, however, should be vigilant for step 2 of the Barisan Nasional strategy to try to destroy the DAP for the next general elections.
Their step 1 of making use of Trojan Horses in the DAP to try to divide and split the DAP, like using Chan Teck Chan, Seow Hung Khim, Chin Nyuk Soo and Goh Lim Eam, have failed.
Now their Step 2 is to try to split and divide the DAP’s political support in the country. This is an exact copy of what they did in Kelantan in 1977 and 1978 general elections.
After UMNO’s Trojan Horses in PAS, then PAS Kelantan Mentri Besar, Mohamed Nasir, had created maximum havoc and damage inside PAS, Mohamed Nasir formed a new political party with the blessings of UMNO, with the sole aim of dividing and split PAS political support in Kelantan and outside.
This is what the Barisan Nasional is encouraging and hoping to create, a new political party aimed at dividing and splitting the DAP’s political support to the sole benefits of the Barisan component parties, whether it be MCA, Gerakan or UMNO.
This is why MCA President, Datuk Lee San Choon, said that the more political parties are formed, the better it is for the MCA.
At present, the person who is trying to play the role of Mohd. Nasir No2 is Chan Teck Chan.
In the same way that we have exposed and foiled Step. No. 1 of the Barisan Nasional conspiracy to destroy the DAP, we are confident of similarly exposing the foiling Step. No. 2 of the same Barisan strategy.
Opening of Kepong DAP Branch signifies the DAP’s seriousness in wanting to win Kepong Parliamentary seat in the next general elections
The official opening of the Kepong DAP Branch today is doubly significant. Firstly, it signifies the DAP’s continues momentum had not been affected by the anti-party activities carried out by the party renegades in Penang and Malacca.
Secondly, it signifies the DAP’s seriousness in wanting to win the Kepong Parliamentary seat in the next general elections. The present MP for Kepong, Dr. Tan Tiong Hong, who won on a minority vote, has proved in Parliament as a person who goes against the people’s deepest aspirations for freedom, justice and equality, just to curry favours with the UMNO leaders.
His speech on the Societies Amendment Bill the Federal Constitution amendment Bill, and in the last three years, show that he is a MP without firm political principles and belief, but is merely a MP who is fully guided by the whims and fancies of the UMNO leaders.
Such an MP is not fit to represent the people in Kepong, and he should be repudiated by the people in the next general elections.