Speech by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjong, Lim Kit Siang, when flagging off the DAPSY ‘Earth Run’ in a Pandamaran New Village, Kang on Sunday, 28th August 1994 at 5 pm
Malaysian youths should play a great role to protect the earth form environmental pollution and degradation for the sake of future generations
DAPSY must be commended for orgainsing its annual ‘Earth Runs’ as part of its contribution to raise the conscriousness of Malaysians youths to play a greater role to protect the earth from environmental pollution and degradation for the sake of future generations.
More and more, development has been used as an excuse for the despoliation of the environment and even deprivation of the basic rights of the people.
The DAP does not oppose development, but development must serve the people and not the other way round – where the people is sacrificed on the alter of development which finally ends up in a elite few acquiring fabulous fortunes at the expense of the rakyat.
We must never forget that it is we, individual men and women, who should be the measure of all things, not made to measure for something else – or we will lose the humanity of development!
The case of the Pantai Kundor and Tanah Merah in Malacca, where the Malacca State Government, on behalf of Petronas, wanted use brute force to deprive the Malay Kampong folks of their ancestral land at minimal price, is a good illustration.
There is no reason why the State Government should compensate the pantai Kundor and Tanah Merah landowners of the Malay customary land (MCL) for generations at RM1 – RM2 per square foot, while petronas is paying about RM8 to the State Government for the same land.
The least the Malacca State Government could do is to ensure that the Pantai Kundor and Tanah Merah landowners of the Malays Customary land are given compensation not less than the amount Petronas is compensating the State Government.
For ten days, the people of Pantai Kundor and Tanah Merah in Malacca had been living without water supply, electricity, postal service, telephone and other basic services which were all cut on the directive of the Malacca Chief Minister, Tan Sri Rahim Tamby Cik.
It is a great tribute to the people of Pantai Kundor and Tanah Merah that they stood up for their rights and courageously demanded for justice and fair play form the authorities, despite the many pressures and threats from those in power.
Tuesday would be an important day not only for the people of Pantai Kundor and Tanah Merah but to all Malaysians who want to know whether Malaysia has lost the ‘humanity’ of development where development is no more for people, but people for development!
Sdr. Lee Ban Chen and Dr. Kua Kia Soong will be respectively responsible for the general election machinery for the Serdang and PJ Selatan parliamentary constituencies
This morning, I announced that Sdr. Dr. V. David has decided not to seek re-election in the next general elections for health reasons.
In thenext general elections, the present Puchong Parliamentary constituency will be replaced by the Serdang and PJ Selatan parliamentary constituencies.
The DAP is determined to go all out to win both these parliamentary constituencies in the next general elections and I will be taking a personal interest in their DAP general elections preparations.
As there is a need for the DAP to ensure that the general elections machinery in Serdang and PJ Selatan parliamentary constituencies are in the highest state of readiness, and as an indication of the importance the DAP leadership placed on these two constituencies, the DAP has appointed two national leaders to be responsible for the general elections machinery for the Serdang and PJ Selatan parliamentary constituencies.
DAP National Vice Chairman Sdr. Lee Ban Chen will be responsible for the Serdang elections machinery while Director of Political Bureau and MP for petaling Jaya, Dr. Kua Kia Soong, will be responsible for the PJ Selatan election machinery.