by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary- General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang released on Saturday, December 31, 1994:
Five Wishes For 1995
Next year will inescapably be the general elections year, as all the forecasts that general elections would take place this year have been debunked by events.
I have five wishes for 1995:
* FIRSTLY, that in the next general elections, Malaysians realise the crucial importance of sending a clear and unmistakable message to the Prime Minister, Datuk Sari Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and the Barisan Nasional Government that while they welcome and support the government’s ‘minor liberalisation’ in the past four years, what the people and the nation want is a full liberalisation of nation-building policies to give every Malaysian an equal place under the Malaysian sun.
* SECONDLY, that the next general elections, the ninth since Merdeka in 1957, will nationally and internationally be acknowledged as a ‘free, fair and clean’ general elections where the government removes its control over the mass media, both printed and electronic, with Opposition leaders allocated equal time as government, leaders over television; where public rallies are allowed and money politics eliminated in the country.
* THIRDLY, all-out war against corruption especially corruption in high political places with a new Anti-Corruption Act as well as a new Anti-Corruption Commission answerable only to Parliament,
*FOURTHLY, a programme of democratisation in Malaysia to give meaning to the fundamental rights and democratic freedoms enshrined in the Malaysian Constitution through the review and repeal of draconian laws and provisions to he found in legislation like the Internal Security Act, the Printing Presses and Publications Act and the Official Secrets Act and the restoration of local government elections.
* FIFTHLY, Parliamentary reforms to restore to Parliament its place, as the highest political and legislative chamber in the country, which is capable of independently reviewing, amending or repealing all unjust and oppressive laws like ‘the Land Acquisition Act which has created so much injustices to the people.
Four years ago, the Prime Minister, Datuk Sari Dr. Mahathir Mohamed announced Vision 2020 for Malaysia to achieve the status of a fully developed nation in all senses of the terra in 30 years time.
After four years, we should be achieving some of the goals as set out in these five wishes.
If these five wishes seem so difficult or impossible to achieve on the eve of another new year, then it is a measure of the great distance the country must travel before Malaysia can qualify to be considered to be moving towards the status of a fully developed nation.