Author: Curator

DAP calls for increase of government expenditure for higher education

Speech by DAP Secretary-General, Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, at the DAP Public Rally in Segamat, Johor on Sunday, 19th August 1973 at 9p.m.

DAP calls for increase of government expenditure for higher education to ensure that every Malaysian student who is qualifies get a place in University.

One of the biggest educational problems facing Malaysia today is the paradox where more and more Malaysian students, with the intelligence and qualifications, could not find places and opportunities for higher education on Malaysia.

Many of our youths, who have achieved excellent academic results in the Malaysian Certificate of Education, and who would have gone on to attain professional qualifications with distinction, are rotting away in their homes because they cannot get into pre-university or university classes. Continue reading DAP calls for increase of government expenditure for higher education

Razak’s Malaysian Malaysia

Speech by Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament of Bandar Melaka, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, at the meeting of Perak DAP State officials, branch leaders at Perak Branch in Ipoh, Perak on Sunday, 18 August 1973.at 10.30a.m.

1. Call on the Prime Minister to hold an inquiry into the problem of racial polarisation among undergraduates in the University of Malaya.

In a speech to a student leadership training seminar last year, the late Tun Dr.Ismal said that Malaysia did not belong to any one racial group and warned of the dangers of polarisation among students and under-graduates.

The problem of polarisation among students and undergraduates should be a matter of grave national concern, and should merit the attention from the highest quarters in government.

The events in the University of Malaya campus in the past week highlighted the seriousness of this problem. Continue reading Razak’s Malaysian Malaysia

Call for White Paper on inflation crisis

Speech by Opposition Leader of Parliament, and DAP Secretary-General, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a Public Rally at Sungei Patani, Kedah on Friday, 17th August 1973 at 8p.m.

DAP calls for a Government White Paper on the Inflation Crisis and the measures the government proposes to take to put the value back into the Malaysian dollar

Yesterday, the government, in approving a 20% increase in the price of flour, has sanctioned a new round of price increases. As a result of the government decision, bread, biscuits, kway teow, mee, mee hoon, and other foodstuffs will spiral up in price, gravely compounding the budgeting problems of the poor and low-income families.

It is a matter of regret and deep disappointment that the first decision of the new Cabinet is to give another round of concession to the runaway inflation, rather than the taking of concrete and positive measures to fight inflation. Continue reading Call for White Paper on inflation crisis

Why Sabah police had obstructed the USAP from contesting the ELOPURA State by-election?

Statement by Opposition Leader and Secretary-General of DAP, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, at a Press Conference given by Incik Nuai Chin, Secretary-General of USAP at Jalan Sultan, Kuala Lumpur on Friday, 17th August 1973 at 12 p.m.

Call on the new Home Affairs Minister, Tan Sri Ghazalie Shafie, to inquire as to why Sabah police had obstructed the USAP from contesting the ELOPURA State by-election on August 4

All Malaysians, I am sure, share with me the sense of shock on hearing Incik Nuai Chin’s disclosure as to how the USAP was prevented from nominating its candidate, Dr. Yap Pak Chau, for the ELOPURA Sandakan State seat on August 4, enabling the Sabah Alliance candidate to have an uncontested walkover.

As Incik Nuai Chin rightly pointed out, such high-handed police action makes a mockery of the Alliance’s professed commitment to the building of a democratic society, as enshrined in the Rukun Negara principles. Continue reading Why Sabah police had obstructed the USAP from contesting the ELOPURA State by-election?

Galloping and persistent inflation makes a mockery of the 2nd Malaysia Plan

Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, at the first anniversary of DAP Kampung Simae Branch on 12/8/73 at 8pm.

Galloping and persistent inflation makes a mockery of Alliance Government’s second Malaysia Plan to restructure society and eliminate poverty in Malaysia

For more than a year, Malaysians have experienced the worst crisis of inflation in the history of the country. Inflation has in fact become major national problem today.

As a result of the unchecked, galloping and persistent rise in the prices of all goods, including essential and daily necessities, the value of the dollar in the hand of a consumer has shrunk considerably by 10 to 15 per cent.

In this situation, the people who are the worst hit are the poor, the low-income and the fixed-income; while the rich and affluent are hardly affected. Continue reading Galloping and persistent inflation makes a mockery of the 2nd Malaysia Plan

Malaysians must expect political changes for the next 12 months

Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, to a joint meeting of Bukit Bintang and Pudu DAP Branches at Pudu branch premises on Friday, 10th August 1973 at 8.30p.m.

The next 12 months will see considerable political changes in the country.

The death of the late Tun Dr.Ismal will cause not only a cabinet reshuffle, but a new alignment of political forces particularly in the UMNO.

Unlike the MCA and MIC, which in the past year or more had alternately amused, entertained and disgusted the public with their antics of power struggle, a considerable part of this realignment of political forces in the UMNO will take place behind-the-scene. But though this is going to attract less publicity, it will have an important bearing on the future direction of the national policy, just as whatever outcome of the MCA or MIC antics will not affect one iota the directions of the country.

Although temporarily, there will be outward show of unity and harmony, this will not be able to hide the intensity of the moves and counter-moves behind the scene. It is unlikely that the shape of the new alignment of political forces will become clear in the near future. Continue reading Malaysians must expect political changes for the next 12 months

DAP calls for effective government action to arrest price inflation in Malaysia

Press Statement by Lim Kit Siang, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Bandar Melaka on 9 August 1973:

The Finance Minister, Tun Tan Siew Sin, said yesterday that one of the major causes of inflation can be traced to some importers making profits of 100 per cent or more, because of their monopolistic and price-fixing practices.

For the past few months, the Alliance leaders, including the Prime Minister, Tun Abdul Razak, had put the blame on the shop-keepers and have even advocated a boycott of retail shops.

The DAP, however, had consistently pointed out that the root problem is not the shopkeepers although there may be some hoarding and profiteering but the prices fixed at source either by the manufacturers, the wholesalers or the importers.

We are glad that the Finance Minister, Tun Tan Siew Sin, has at last realised this, and has given instances of how despite the devaluation of British and American currencies, the prices of British and American imports have not gone down correspondingly. On the contrary, their prices have gone up instead. Continue reading DAP calls for effective government action to arrest price inflation in Malaysia

Alliance Government should prove its dedication to a multi-racial society

Speech by DAP Secretary-General and member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, at the Fifth Anniversary Reception of the Batu Pahat DAP Branch at Chuen Hian Tin on Saturday, 4th August 1973 at 8p.m.

Call on the Alliance Government to take more positive measures in economic, educational, political and cultural fields to prove its dedication to a multi-racial society

In his last speech, the late Tun Dr.Ismail told the silver jubilee celebrations of the Federation of Malay Students Union that Government had always taken into consideration the “multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious” character of the nation when formulating its policies.

The late Dr.Ismail had touched on the crux of the problem of nation building in Malaysia, for the key to the survival of Malaysia as a nation and as a people will depend on whether Malaysia is developed strictly along multiracial, multi-cultural and multi-religious lines.

Malaysia does not belong to any one racial, religious or cultural group, and any attempt to achieve this end must lead to national tragedy. Continue reading Alliance Government should prove its dedication to a multi-racial society

Alliance Government’s lip-service to counter inflation

Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, at DAP Public Rally at Kluang on July 29 at 10p.m.

Rising Prices – DAP accuses Alliance Government of only paying lip-service without doing anything concrete to counter inflation in the country

Inside and outside Parliament, Alliance Ministers had expressed concern about rising prices, but it is unfortunate that apart from paying lip-service, the government has not shown any will or ability to check the galloping inflation in the country.

In the last one week, more and more items have increased in price. Only a few days ago, we read of a wide-ranging increase in the prices of meat, which had already increased many times in the past few months. Only just now, I have been informed that bar of Lux soap has gone up in price from 40 cents to 50 cents.

The people of Malaysia are no more interested in reading about speeches and statements by Alliance leaders and Ministers about their concern about inflation and rising prices. They want firm and effective government action to stop this runaway inflation. Continue reading Alliance Government’s lip-service to counter inflation

National campaign for the repeal of the 1971 Education (Amendment) Act

Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, when officiating at the opening of the Chinese education exhibition organised by the Perak DAP Chinese Education Sub-Committee held at DAP Perak State headquarters at Jalan Kampar on Tuesday, 24 July 1973 at 9a.m.

Call on Chinese educational bodies to launch a national movement to campaign for the repeal of the 1971 Education (Amendment) Act which abolished the powers of School Boards of Management

Chinese education is at the final critical phase of its existence in Malaysia, and it behooves all Malaysians who cherish Chinese education to bestir themselves to take their place in the frontline of the defence and advancement of the fine tradition and heritage of Chinese education.

Verbal support and more good intentions which make interesting reading and good publicity cannot check or reverse the strong current against which Chinese education is struggling against. Only actual deeds and dynamic endeavour can salvage for Chinese education her rightful place in the country.

For the past one month, the Kampung Bercham Chinese Primary School affair has highlighted the predicament about the future of Chinese education and schools in the country. Continue reading National campaign for the repeal of the 1971 Education (Amendment) Act