Speech by DAP Organising Secretary and Parliamentary Candidate for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at the third DAP General Elections Public Rally in Malacca at Long Chan Bros. (Pengkalan Rama Pantai) Malacca on Sunday, 13th April 1969 at 9p.m.
At the first Malacca DAP Public Rally at Bandar Hilir Padang on 8th April 1969, I asked the Alliance Parliamentary Candidate for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Koh Kim Leng, ten questions so that the people and voters will have an opportunity to hear his views on ten important issues concerning our country, our future and our children’s future.
But till today, five days later, he has not answered these questions. Mr. Koh Kim Leng has not answered these questions because he supports wholeheartedly the Alliance policy of dividing Malaysians into bumiputras and non-bumiputras, the classification of Malaysians of non-Malay origin, including his own children, as second-class citizens, the elimination of Chinese language, education and culture, and the whole range of Alliance racial policies in every sphere.
In fact, tonight I ACCUSE MR. KOH KIM LENG AS ONE OF THE ARCHITECTS OF THE ALLIANCE POLICY TO SUPPRESS AND DESTROY CHINESE LANGUAGE AND EDUCATION IN MALAYSIA.
In 1960, Mr. Koh Kim Leng co-authored with Abdul Rahman Talib to produce notorious and obnoxious Abdul Rahman Talib Education Report, which is today’s the Alliance blueprint to destroy Chinese Language and education in Malaysia.
Mr. Koh Kim Leng’s Abdul Rahman Talib Education Review Report called for the forced closure of all Chinese secondary and primary schools, and their conversion into Malay schools. As a result of Mr. Koh Kim Leng’s Abdul Rahman Talib Education Report, the Minister of Education has now been invested with the power to implement this process of closure of all Chinese schools and their conversion into Malay schools within 24 hours notice!
Today, apart from 20 odd Chinese independent schools, all other Chinese secondary schools have ceased to exist, and are now English schools. But within a few years, all English schools will also be eliminated, and become Malay schools.
Already, in English primary schools, the process of their forced conversion into Malay schools has started, and there will be no more English primary schools by 1971.
I am convinced that after the general elections of May 10, if candidates like Mr. Koh Kim Leng are elected, then all the Chinese primary schools will be closed and converted into Malay schools overnight.
A vote for Mr. Koh Kim Leng is a vote for the Abdul Rahman Talib Education Report which Mr. Koh drafted, and a vote for the Alliance policy to destroy Chinese language and education in Malaysia.
The voters of Bandar Melaka have a sacred task on polling day, May 10. On that day, they are duty-bound to come out solidly and vote against Mr. Koh Kim Leng and Abdul Rahman Talib Education Report, and register the protest and condemnation not only of themselves, but of Malaysians throughout the country, and of their children and children’s children, against Mr. Koh Kim Leng ‘s blueprint to destroy Chinese language and education.
There can be no greater shame to oneself and a greater disservice to one’s language, culture and one’s children, than to vote for the architect of the Alliance blueprint to destroy Chinese language and education.
Mr. Koh Kim Leng does not deserve a single vote. Let him lose his deposit, to show him and his like in the MCA and the Alliance that the people do not forget those who are prepared to betray one’s language, education and culture!
I am a reasonable man. If Mr. Koh Kim Leng believes that I have wronged him tonight, then I give him an opportunity to explain himself. I am prepared to meet him at any public debate, on the Abdul Rahman Talib Report, at any place, any time.