Author: Curator

DAP calls for establishment of Parliamentary Standing Committee Against Rising Prices and Profiteering

Press Statement by Opposition Leader and DAP Secretary-General, Lim Kit Siang, on16 June 1973:

In his speech to a special UMNO meeting yesterday, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade and Industry, Tun Dr. Ismail, called on the people, political parties and consumers’ associations to help combat the grave problem of rising price and profiteering.
Since last year, the housewives, consumers and those in the low income brackets have borne the brunt of the run-away inflation and galloping price increases of a whole range of goods.

Apart from statements of sympathy and concern, the people cannot see any firm and positive action taken on the part of the government to curb unreasonable price increases.

The opposition parties are prepared to give the government all help in this vital problem, but the government must first take this problem seriously.

For a start, I would suggest that the government form a Parliamentary Standing Committee on Price Increases and Profiteering comprising representatives from all parties represented in Parliament, with powers to hold public hearings and summon witnesses on every unreasonable price increase. Continue reading DAP calls for establishment of Parliamentary Standing Committee Against Rising Prices and Profiteering

Disenfranchisement of one million people – referendum needed

Speech by Opposition Leader and Secretary-General of DAP, Lim Kit Siang, at a DAP Public Rally at Kajang on Saturday, 16th June 1973 at 8 p.m.

DAP reiterates call for referendum by people of Kuala Lumpur on the abolition of 9 State Assembly seats and disenfranchisement of one million people

The Alliance Government, with the full support of the MCA, whether new or old faction, have decided to go ahead to declare Kuala Lumpur a Federal Territory, and disenfranchise one million people by abolishing nine State Assembly seats, namely Salak, Pantai, Bukit Nanas, Kampong Baru, Kepong, Penchala, Sentul, Ampang and Serdang.

Over a decade ago, the people of Kuala Lumpur possessed the basic democratic right to send their elected representative to Parliament to be their spokesman in national matters, to Selangor State Assembly to safeguard their rights in State matters, and to the Kuala Lumpur Municipality to run the local government affairs accordance with the wishes and aspirations of the people.

The first casualty was their right to have elected Kuala Lumpur Municipality. Not because of any great principle, but because of the people’s disenchantment and repudiation of Alliance policies and personnel, the Alliance Government abolished elected Municipal Government. Continue reading Disenfranchisement of one million people – referendum needed

The preservation and sustenance of Chinese-media schools in Malaysia

Speech by DAP Secretary- General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, when declaring open the Exhibition on Chinese Education organized by the DAP Chinese Education Sub-Committee held at 63- D Jalan Sultan, Kuala Lumpur on Friday, 4th May 1973 at 11 a.m.

DAP calls for the double entrenchment of the constitutional guarantee and right of (i) every Malaysian parent to send his child to the language-media school of his choice and (ii) the preservation and sustenance of Chinese-media schools in Malaysia, so that they will not be compulsorily converted into Bahasa Malaysia-media schools

On this day in China, fifty- four years ago a great revolution was launched which led to the transformation of the Chinese society through the attack, discrediting and discarding of outmoded and parasitize values, attitude, systems and public figures which had kept the Chinese society and masses in serfdom, politically, socially, culturally and economically.

This great social revelation, known as the May the Fourth Movement, was spearheaded by idealistic students, workers and intelligentsia who had enough of the oppression and misrule of feudalists, landlords, eunuchs and traitors. Continue reading The preservation and sustenance of Chinese-media schools in Malaysia

Organisation of unorganised the first agenda for the working movement

Speech by Ketua Pembangkang and DAP Secretary- General Mr. Lim Kit Siang at a May Day Tea Party organised by the DAP Labour Bureau at the Pudu DAP Branch on 1st May 1973 at 10 a.m.

Although the government has declared May Day as a public holiday, the workers and the people must not allow themselves to be misled into thinking that the Alliance Government has turned overnight into a pro-labour government. This will be to mistake form for substance.

The Alliance Government’s laws, measures and polices remain anti-labour and pro-employer. The success of the workers to get the government to make May Day a public holiday in recognition of the workers’ place in national development is only the first step in a long struggle to achieve for the workers their rightful place in Malaysian society and the enjoyment of the just fruits for their labour.

In my view, one of the most outstanding problems in the working population is the problem of unorganised workers. Over 70 per cent of the workers are unorganised, completely at the tender mercies of the managements. We read in the press, and many go unreported, of the countless examples of workers being victimsed, intimidated and even dismissed for daring to exercise their basic right to form a union or to join a union. The Industrial Relations act 1967, which though enshrines the right of workers to unionise, does not provide any enforcement to uphold these rights. Continue reading Organisation of unorganised the first agenda for the working movement

DAP wants a comprehensive review of the entire education policy and system in Malaysia

Speech by DAP Secretary- General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at the closing of the DAP Luar Bandar Selangor Seminar held in Klang on 29th April 1973 at 4 p.m.

The high rate of mass failures among Malay students in science and mathematics and among non-Malay students in Bahasa Malaysia in the 1972 LCE examination has highlighted the grave problems, defects and weaknesses of the Malaysian education system.

Fifteen years of alliance education policy has borne very bitter fruits for the parents and students.

Every Malaysian with children in school knows that the quality and content of education has deteriorated badly over the years, which the Ministry of Education officials are not prepared to admit. Continue reading DAP wants a comprehensive review of the entire education policy and system in Malaysia

Do not abolish the nine Selangor State Assembly seats within and contiguous to the Federal Capital of KL

Speech by Ketua Pembangkang and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, in the Dewan Rakyat on the Constitution (Amendment) 1973 Bill on 26.4.1973

The Malaysian Constitution is probably one of the most amended constitutions in the world. Today this House is asked to give its approval to another fresh batch of constitutional amendments.

The present amendments concern principally two subjects. Firstly, there is the proposed establishment of the Education Service Commission, responsible for the appointment, dismissal and exercise of disciplinary control over teachers and other members of the education service.

Education is a vital subject which affects the future of every citizen in the country, and will determine the future destiny of the nation as a whole. This is amply evidenced by the public consternation and country over the unprecedented mass failures in the 1972 MCE examination. Continue reading Do not abolish the nine Selangor State Assembly seats within and contiguous to the Federal Capital of KL

The 1972 Mass MCE Bahasa Malaysia Failures

I must confess deep disappointment and regret, shared by decisive sections of the people in the country, that the Government in this policy pronouncement has conspicuously omitted reference to the burning issue in the country – namely, the mass failures in the 1972 M.C.E./S.PM, examination merely because of failure in the Bahasa Malaysia paper.

I had hoped that the Government would take this opportunity to show to the people and the world that it is a liberal, broadminded and statesman-like one, which genuinely cares for the interest and welfare of all sections of the population. Continue reading The 1972 Mass MCE Bahasa Malaysia Failures

Call for Royal Commission of Inquiry into the mass failures of non-Malay candidates in MCE Bahasa Malaysia paper and Malay students in MCE science and mathematics

Speech by Opposition Leader and DAP Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, in the Dewan Rakyat in the debate on the Royal Speech on Wednesday, 17th April 1973.

I rise to join in the expression of thanks of this House to His Majesty, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, for his Gracious Speech in opening the Third Session of the Third Parliament.

I have listened with attention and interest to His Majesty’s Gracious Speech, as it sets out the government’s policies and intentions for the coming year.

I must confess deep disappointment and regret, share by decisive sections of the people in the country, that the government in this policy pronouncement has conspicuously omitted reference to the burning issue in the country – namely, the mass failures in the 1972 MCE/SPM examinations merely because of failure in Bahasa Malaysia paper. Continue reading Call for Royal Commission of Inquiry into the mass failures of non-Malay candidates in MCE Bahasa Malaysia paper and Malay students in MCE science and mathematics

1971 Std. V Assessment Examination: 63 national-type (Chinese) primary schools had 100% failures

Speech by DAP Secretary- General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Sang, when speaking to the Johore State DAP Standing Sub-Committee on Sunday, 15th April 1973 at Kluang DAP premises at 2p.m.

Last July, at a public rally in Tangkak, I spoke of the great urgency that parents should waken up to the very poor quality and standard of education their children are getting in Malaysian primary and secondary schools.

I had given some figures in connection with the 1971 Std. V Assessment Examination. Thus, for Chinese primary schools, for the whole state of Johore, out of a total of 12,215 who sat for the examination, 55.3% failed in mathematics; 26.9% failed in Bahasa Inggeris I; 33.6% failed in Mathematics; 26.9% failed in Science; 42% failed in Geography-History; and 41% failed in Chinese language.

I had hope that teachers, parents and the education ministry officials would initiate comprehensive inquiries to determine and overcome this shocking state of mass failures from the primary schools up to secondary schools.

Sad to say, apart from a few MCA teachers expressing their unhappiness that this matter should ever be aired at all, no positive or concrete action was taken by educationists, teachers and parents. Continue reading 1971 Std. V Assessment Examination: 63 national-type (Chinese) primary schools had 100% failures

Award conditional passes to 14,330 who failed MCE because of BM paper

Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a DAP Public Rally at Tanjong Tualang, 8th April, 1973 at 10.00 p.m.

Call to Cabinet to reconsider MCE failure to award conditional passes to 14,330 who failed just because of Bahasa Malaysia paper

The announcement by the Minister of Education, Dato Hussein Onn, last Tuesday that the Ministry would not award conditional passes to the 14,330 MCE candidates who failed because of failure in Bahasa Malaysia paper in one of most unfortunate events in the recent development of education in the country.

All arguments are in support for the award of conditional passes to the MCE candidates, especially when it is a widely-accepted fact now that the fault for the mass failures of 14,330 does not lie with the students, but with the MCE examination and education system.

The overwhelming majority of the 14,300 students had tried their level best to pass the MCE Bahasa Malaysia paper, knowing full well that they would fail the whole MCE examination if they do not do so. Their school record and school tests show that they have achieved high standards in MCE Bahasa Malaysia. How come, then, can there be such massive failures amounting to 14,300 candidates, who are bright, conscientious and hardworking students? Continue reading Award conditional passes to 14,330 who failed MCE because of BM paper