Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, when speaking to the Batu Pahat DAP Branch representatives on Saturday, June 24, 1972 at 7 p.m.
Lim Kit Siang replies to Tun Ismail
Tun Ismail, when speaking at the joint opening of UMNO Youth and Wanita annual delegates conference in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, has predicted the self-disintegration of DAP.
Tun Ismail said that the DAP was moving towards the final phase of its existence and, in a short period, there would be rebellion in the party leading to mass resignations.
The DAP has demonstrated from the events of the past few days that despite the major disciplinary actions of the Central Executive Committee, the party has remained solidly intact, united and resolute to continue the DAP struggle. There is no split, no break up; and there is not going to be any split or break-up in the Party.
My colleagues and I in the Central Executive Committee have visited Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Penang, Perak, Malacca and now Johore, and we have received full backing from the States, branches and the general membership.
In fact, the question that is generally in the mind of our branches and members is not why the CEC took the disciplinary action against Goh Hock Guan and Dr. A. Soorian, but why the CEC had not taken them earlier!
The DAP, from the Central Executive Committee down to States, branches and the ordinary membership, is now starting a new era in the history of our movement from June 18, 1972, which has restored the DAP’s single-minded, united leadership and Party discipline. With the removal of the weaknesses, the destructive and disruptive elements in the Party, we move forward to a new level of organisational preparedness and dynamism.
Yet, despite these demonstration publicly of the solidity of the DAP, Tun Ismail has yesterday hinted that there would be rebellion in the Party leading to mass resignations.
We are aware that for some time, the Special Branch has been concentrating its attention, energy and resources on the DAP to try to subvert the DAP.
For some time, the DAP has become the primary target of Special Branch because the DAP posed the only credible challenge to the Alliance.
It is an open secret that the Special Branch has a special section, known as the ‘Projects Section’ which has responsibility to think up and implement projects to infiltrate Opposition Parties, create dissension from within and wreck the Party.
One reason for the disintegration of the Labour Party is because of the successful operation of the ‘projects Section’ in the Special Branch against it.
Now, the ‘Special Branch’s ‘Project Section’ is fully preoccupied with the DAP, particularly because of the events of the past few weeks for they thought that this is the most appropriate time to divide and destroy the Party by fomenting party dissensions and split.
So far, the Special Branch has not succeeded. But we are aware that they are doubling up their efforts, for if they could not make use of the present situation, which seemed to have created uncertainty and instability in the unity of the DAP, then they will not find a more opportune time for their operations.
The leadership of the DAP is conscious of the activities of the Special Branch ‘Projects Section’, and we will not allow their agents to divide, destroy the DAP.
The DAP, after June 18, 1972, will not allow any person in the Party to wittingly or unwittingly be made use of by the Special Branch to weaken and split the Party.
All DAP leaders and members must be vigilant against the work of the ‘Projects Section’ of the Special Branch, and smack down any person who consciously or unconsciously further their schemes and plans.
I have full confidence in the integrity and unity of the DAP. Tun Ismail is going to find the DAP a even mire stronger political force when he next addresses the joint opening of the UMNO Youth and Wanita. The DAP is in Malaysia to stay.