Speech by Parliamentary Opposition Leader and DAP Secretary general, Lim Kit Siang, at a Solidarity Dinner organised by the Kuala Pilah DAP branch on Sunday, 27th November, 1977, at 7 p.m. Held at the Community Hall, Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan.
DAP CEC gives greenlight for contest in the Jempol State Assembly by-election.
When I first arrived in Kuala Pilah for the solidarity dinner, I was besieged by party comrades from Negeri Sembilan who asked whether the Party’s Central Executive committee will allow a contest by the DAP in the forthcoming Negeri Sembilan Jempol State Assemblyman for the area, Encik Mohamad Yasin Othman.
When the Central Executive committee met in Petaling Jaya this morning, we decided to defer a decision on the question of the Jempol by-election until we have received a report from the Negeri Sembilan DAP. However, from the enthusiasm that has been shown by all the comrades in Negeri Sembilan and their keenness to contest the Jempol by-election. I therefore call on all DAP comrades in Negeri Sembilan that if they are serious and keen in the Jempol by-election to start work right away.
In a political struggle, it would be necessary for us to go into new areas so that our message for a democratic socialist Malaysian can reach out to more Malaysians who have not been able to receive our message for the variety of repressive measures that have been taken, for example, the ban of public rallies.
Just as we contested in the Keneriang by-election in Perak, the most important objective of the DAP’s participation in these rural constituencies is not to win or lose but to start on the long march to progressively to win over support of more and more of our people in the rural areas. We cannot and do not expect to sweep the rural seats overnight. This cannot be achieved and do not expect to sweep the rural seats overnight. This cannot be achieved within a period of one year, two years or even five years but the basis must be laid now and this is what we in the DAP are determined to do throughout the country so that Malaysians of all races will be given an opportunity to judge and to choose the DAP as the political alternative to the Barisan Nasional.
The recent South East Asia Games a demonstration of Malaysian loyalty by all races in the country.
In the recent week-long South East Asia Games held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysians from all walks of life and from all races followed the games over TV and I can say without fear of contradiction for every SEA Games programme, whether it be athletics, soccer, basketball, or swimming, all Malaysians regardless of race wanted Malaysia to win a gold medal in every item. In their individual homes in front of there TV sets, they cheered for the success of the Malaysian participant regardless whether the participant was a Chinese, Malay or Indian. For Malaysian enthusiasts of the SEA Games there is no conscientiousness of race but only desire to see Malaysians triumph in the various items.
This demonstrates the innate loyalty of all races in the country to Malaysia which should be a lesson to certain politicians in the ruling circle who are in the habit of questioning the loyalty of this or that community in the country. I hope henceforth no political leader will have occasion to question or doubt the loyalty of any race in Malaysia for such questioning and doubt will be the greatest disservice to Malaysian unity and national solidarity.