Speech by Parliamentary Opposition Leader and DAP Secretary-General, Lim Kit Siang, at a DAP Solidarity Dinner organised by the Ampang DAP Branch at Ampang New Village, Kuala Lumpur, on Sunday, 20th Nov. 977 at 8 p.m.
DAP will not attend the meting of opposition parties proposed by KITA on Dec. 26
The DAP has received an invitation from KITA proposing a meeting of opposition parties in Kuala Lumpur on 26th December 1977.
We notice that the invitation has also been sent out to other opposition parties, including the Kongress India Muslim Malaysia (KIMMA) and the Parti Rakyat Bersatu (U.P.P.).
When the KIMMA was formed, its founders made it clear that its intention is to apply to join the Barisan Nasional to represent the Indian Muslims. As for the U.P.P., everybody knows that it was formed because of differences between R.C.M. Ryan and Khong Kok Yat in the People’s Progressive Party, and given a chance, the U.P.P. will gladly join the Barisan Nasional.
The DAP has nothing whatsoever in common with these type of parties, and we will not attend the proposed meeting of December 26.
More opposition goodwill is needed before any fruitful opposition meeting can be held. When the DAP contested the Kenering by-election, KITA, PSRM and Pekemas ganged up against the DAP, but despite this big opposition gang-up of PSRM, KITA and Pekemas, their candidate lost the deposit. If the PSRM, KITA and Pekemas want to gang up against the DAP, then we wish them luck!
In August this year, I announced that the DAP is of the view that a more effective way to weld opposition unity is by bilateral discussions, and if this makes headway, then eventually, a more united opposition approach at the national level can be brought about. I declared the DAP’s preparedness to enter into immediate talks with the other opposition parties on a bilateral basis. But this offer was immediately rejected by PSRM, KITA and Pekemas leaders.
I want to reiterate that the DAP’s offer of bilateral discussions with opposition parties is still open, and should any opposition party or group wish to have discussions with us, we are ready. But at this stage to hold further big opposition meetings which will end up in nothing will only raise false hopes of the peoples, and serve no useful purpose at all.
The DAP takes note that the PSRM has now followed the Pekemas and the KITA to attack the DAP. If this is the decision of the PSRM leadership, so be it.