Speech by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, when closing the Penang DAP genera1elections procedure seminar held at Town House Hotel, Penang on Sunday, August 5, 1990.
DAP’s door is always open to all like-minded and idealistic Malaysians regardless of race and religion to effect the great political change within the reach of Malaysians for the first time in the 33 years.
Recently, there have been press reports about Chinese educationists and activists of Chinese organisations joining the DAP.
The DAP’s door is always open to all like-minded and idealistic Malaysians regardless of race,
religion or station to join the DAP to translate the greatest political possibilities in Malaysia in
the past 33 years into a political reality – to save democracy, restore human rights, establish
socio-economic justice and fight corruption and abuses of power, and to promote genuine national
unity in Malaysia.
The DAP has been having on-going discussions with different groups, organisations and Malaysians
of all races and religions to forge a more united and effective popular political movement to end the
long reign of high-handed, undemocratic and unpopular rule in Malaysia so that Malaysians can begin
on a new political page in the 1990s.
Those whom the DAP had been meeting include Chinese educationists and activists of Chinese organisations.
Warning to Anwar Ibrahim to stop inciting Malay racial feelings and undermine inter-racial relations
just to get votes for next general elections
There will be powerful political forces and personalities in the Barisan Nasional who will try to
block such political change. To preserve their power positions, these powerful political forces and
personalities in the Barisan Nasional will resort to the most contemptible tactics to win votes for the
next general elections.
I am surprised that the Education Minister, Anwar Ibrahim, has recently played a prominent role in
using the most unscrupulous and unprincipled tactics just to woo Malay votes for the next general elections. I want to ask Anwar what is the use of his winning more Malay votes if in the process,
he does irreparable harm to inter¬racial relations in Malaysia?
In the past few months, Anwar Ibrahim has been making more and more communal speeches and statements.
Anwar is resorting more and more to the politics of race, although during his ABIM days in the 1970s,
he denounced the politics of race. However, he has now become one of the foremost practitioners of
the politics of race.
Anwar has been going round the country attacking the DAP of being anti-Malay, which is untrue, baseless and utterly irresponsible.
I want to warn Anwar Ibrahim that if he persists in continuing with this campaign of
communalism, lies and calumny against the DAP, then the DAP will have no choice but to
retaliate and embark on a nation-wide campaign to accuse Anwar Ibrahim of being anti-Chinese;
anti-Indian and anti-Malaysian.
Yesterday, Penang UMNO Baru under the leadership of Anwar Ibrahim, organised a forum in
Tasek Glugor with the theme ‘The Survival of the Malays in Penang’.
Is Anwar Ibrahim suggesting that there should similarly be held in Penang other political forums
like ‘The Survival of the, Chinese in Penang’ and ‘The Survival of the Indians in Penang’?
I feel very sad that instead of pioneering the politics on multi-racialism, Anwar is stoking communal fires in the country.
I urge Anwar to stop and desist from such blatant communal politiking and not to mortgage the future
of Malaysians of all races to his pursuit of political-advancement.
DAP CEC endorses Women Manifesto
The DAP Central Executive Committee has considered and endorsed the Women’s Manifesto adopted
by nine women’s groups, namely Women’s Development Collective, All Women’s Action Society (AWAM), Sahabat Wanita, Institute of Community Education, Sabah Women Action Resource Group, Women Workforce Action Group, People’s Service Organisation (Batang Berjuntai), Consumer’s Assosiation of Taiping (Women’s Bureau) and Sarawak Women for Women Association (SWWS)
The DAP supports the demand of the Women’s Manifesto for the end of discrimination against women and for the adoption of the principle of equal pay for equal work, equal employment opportunities and equal access to promotion, education and training. DAP also supports legislation to ensure equal status and rights for women, including laws against domestic violence and sexual harassment.
The DAP agrees with the Women Manifesto that development should be people-oriented, sustainable and equitable. Development must ensure that the majority of the people and local community own and control the country’s resources and all economic and social activities.