by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary- General and HP tor Tanjong, Lim Kit Siang in Petaling Jaya on Monday, 25th September 1995:
Home Ministry should conduct a briefing to inform Chinese societies of the Societies Act requirements and not to amend the Law to impose Lines or to threaten societies with dissolution
The Deputy Home Minister Ong Ka Ting yesterday announced the government’s intention to amend the Societies Act to impose fines on societies for violation of Societies Act requirements.
This is most uncalled for. The Home Ministry should conduct a briefing to inform Chinese societies guilds and associations of the Societies Act requirements and not to amend the law to impose tints or to threaten societies with dissolution.
The purpose of having a MCA MP as Deputy Howe Minister is to ensure that the Home Ministry is more understanding of the problems and needs of Chinese guilds, associations and societies and not to enable the Home Ministry to right en control of Chinese guilds associations and societies.
If the Societies Act is to be amended, IT ‘should aim at reducing the Home Ministry’s control of societies so as to develop a “Civil Society” instead of tightening control of societies as announced by Ong Ka Ting.
For this reason, DAP MPs will oppose amendments to the Societies Act to Impose fines on societies tot technical breaches of the Societies Act requirement.