Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, when addressing the Serdang Constituency Liaison Sub-Committee at Serdang Bahru DAP Branch on Saturday, 16th Oct. 1971 at 7.30 p.m. on the first day of his two-day official visit to Serdang Constituency
DAP to tighten discipline and upgrade service and performance of all DAP MPs and State Assemblymen
My two-day visit to Serdang State Constituency is the first of my official tour of all DAP Parliamentary and State constituencies to (i) check on the constituency service of the Member of Parliament/ State Assemblyman for the area; (ii) visit DAP Branches and meet party members to discuss political and party matters; and (iii) to meet a small cross-section of the general public to get their views on the DAP’s elected representative in the area, the party and the nation’s problems.
The people had high hopes of the DAP when they voted solidly for the DAP candidates in the 1969 general elections. It is the resolve of the DAP Central Executive Committee that every DAP Member of Parliament and State Assemblyman should live up to the public expectations, and conscientiously serve the people, party and country.
The DAP does not want to have any political parasites among our MPs or State Assemblymen.
One reason why the people had so decisively rejected the Alliance and MCA candidates in the 1969 general elections was because the electorate found that in the past decade, the overwhelming majority of Alliance and MCA MPs and State Assemblymen were political parasites.
They collected their monthly Parliamentary or State Assembly allowance, and had no time for the problems of their constituents, the party or the country. They were really self-seekers, time-servers and power-grabbers. For them, to be an MP or a State Assemblyman was merely an instrument to personal advancement in wealth, status and power, rather than a noble opportunity to dedicate oneself to the service of the people, party and country.
The DAP will not hesitate to weed out any political parasite in the Party. The DAP Central Executive Committee has launched a campaign to tighten discipline, and upgrade the service and performance of all DAP MPs and State Assemblymen in the country.
Any DAP MP or State Assemblymen who has consistently refused to serve the constituency, party and country will be given a chance to reform, failing which , he will be suspended or expelled from the Party.
The DAP Central Executive Committee is very serious in its intention to have a team of DAP MPs and State Assemblymen who are a credit to the Party and the cause for a democratic socialist, Malaysian Malaysia.
It is for this reason that the Central Executive Committee, at its ordinary meeting last Saturday on 9th October 1971, decided to serve notice to two DAP State Assemblymen to show cause they why they should not be suspended or expelled for consistent flouting of Party discipline and neglect of constituency duties. They were given up to November 13, 1971 to clear themselves.
If both these two DAP State Assemblymen would give an assurance that they would reform, and begin to discharge their duties to the constituency, party and country, then the DAP Central Executive Committee would give them a chance to correct their past errors.
After all, MPs and State Assemblymen are also human beings, who may commit mistakes. If a person, whether MP or State Assemblyman does not make mistakes, and then he will cease to be human and has become divine creature. The important thing, however, is whether he is prepared to admit his mistakes and turn over a new leaf.
However, one of the two had been served with discipline notice, Mr. Chin Chan Sung, State Assemblyman for Lukut, tried to bet the party’s disciplinary action by announcing his resignation from the Party through the mass media, he press, radio and television.
I remember that when I was in political detention, I received numerous complaints and reports that Mr. Chin had completely neglected party and constituency duties and responsibilities.
When I wrote to him, he replied that the complaints and reports were groundless and untrue. On my release, I found, however, that the reports and complaints were completely true. Furthermore, after the restoration of political activities, he continued to neglect party and constituency responsibilities.
The Central Executive Committee wanted to give him a last chance to reform himself, and put the interest of the party and people before self-interest. Instead, ne announced his resignation from the party publicly.
However, to date I have not received any letter of resignation from him. The DAP Party Constitution provides that “any member may resign his membership by giving to the Secretary-General one month’s notice in writing to that effect”, and until I personally receive his letter of resignation, followed by a month’s notice, Mr. Chin Chan Sung is still a DAP member and subject to party discipline.
If by November 13, when the Central Executive Committee meets, Mr. Chin Chan Sung does not furnish adequate reasons, he will be suspended or expelled from the Party. However, despite his public announcement, if Mr. Chin is prepared t admit his past errors, and pledge to turn over a new leaf, and begin conscientiously to serve the people and party, I shall personally recommend that he be given another chance.
In the Democratic Action Party, no-one, whether he be a State Assemblyman, Member of Parliament, Central Executive Committee member, or even a national leader, is above the Party. Everyone is subject to Party discipline.
The CEC, will jealously guard the good image and standing of the Party, and will not allow a few black sheep to tarnish the majority of dedicated MPs and SAs in the movement.