Speech by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, when launching the 21-day DAP National Voters’ Registration Campaign in the Federal Territory on Tuesday July 12, 1994 at 9.30 am
DAP will propose at the next Gagasan Rakyat meeting that the component parties ‘reduce to their individual selves’ to fight the next general elections
DAP will propose at the next Gagasan Rakyat meeting that the component parties ‘reduce to their individual selves’ to fight the next general elections
DAP will not only be fighting the next general elections with its own election manifesto and party symbol, we will suggest that Gagasan Rakyat should be completely ‘loosened’ in that there is no need to insist that Gagasan Rakyat put up only one candidate to fight the Barisan Nasional in the next general elections.
The Gagasan Rakyat component parties should try to reach an electoral understanding on the fielding of candidates in the next general elections, but this will not be the most important objective in view of the Japanese example where Opposition parties toppled the Liberal Domestic Party from its 38-year rule without a ‘one-to-one’ contest among the Opposition Parties.
I feel that unlike the previous general elections, there is no need for Gagsan Rakyat to ensure that there is a ‘one-to-one’ contest in the next general elections, and if Gagasan Rakyat component parties cannot agree on a common candidate for certain constituencies, then the Gagasan Rakyat should be very flexible in even allowing its component parties to contest against each other in th next general elections.
My gut feeling is that general elections will be next year rather then this year
The one question that is uppermost in the people’s mind is: When is the next general elections?
Conventional wisdom is that general elections would be held this year, most likely in October. I rate the chances of general elections being held this year as very high, although I had revised downwards the 70 per cent possibility estimate I gave last week to 60 per cent.
However, I have a gut feeling that general elections will be held next year rather than this year, primarily because of the 21-day voters registration exercise by the Election Commission ending on July 31.
UMNO is not interested in the 900,000 Malaysians who have become 21 years today and are eligible to be voters but have not registered on the electoral roll.
UMNO is only interested in registering 400,000 new voters whom it has identified as the new UMNO voters – fur with the registration of 400,000 new UMNO voters and their distribution in the various constituencies in the country, UMNO will be able to influence the outcome of general election results not only of UMNO candidates, but also MCA, Gerakan and MIC candidates.
However, those who register in the next 21 days would not be able to cast their vote if general elections are held this year, as the earliest the Election Commission an produce the new electoral roll incorporating the new voters in the next 21 days is January next year.
However, as a political party fighting the most difficult and challenging general elections, DAP cannot rely on gut feelings of anyone. We must be prepared for general elections being held any time, and even the possibility that on his return from France, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed may announce that general elections would be this year. DAP is therefore getting into top gear to get ready for general elections anytime this year.
Challenge to Gerakan and MCA to support DAP struggle to transform he ‘Little Liberalisation’ into ‘Big Liberalisation’ by asking UMNO for radical changes in government policies
There is only one issue in the next general elections; whether the ‘Little Liberalisation’ in the certain government policies and measures in the last three year can be transformed into a ‘Big Liberalisation’ where all Malaysians regardless of race can enjoy an equal place under the Malaysian sun.
DAP challenge the Gerakan and MCA to declare whether they support the DAP’s call for the ‘Little Liberalisation’ to be transformed into ‘Big Liberalisation’.
If the Gerakan and MCA support the DAP’s political struggle to transform ‘Little Liberalisation’ into ‘Big Liberalisation’, then they must dare to ask UMNO for radical government policy changes in political, economic, educational, cultural, religious and all other spheres of nation-building.