Author: Curator

Fragmentation of estates

Press Statement: 5 Dec 1968

The DAP Candidates for Serdang State By-election and DAP organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, today issued the following statement:

At long last, the Alliance government seemed to have woken up to the seriousness of the problem of fragmentation of estates, which over the years have thrown tens of thousands of workers out of employment.

Fragmentation of estates is a major social problem, and the Democratic Action Party, both inside parliament, through its M. P. for Bangsar, Mr.C. V. Devan Nair, and outside, have consistently pressed for legislation to control fragmentation to ensure that the interests and welfare of the workers are protected. Continue reading Fragmentation of estates

Chinese education

Speech by DAP Candidate for the Serdang State By-election, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, who is also DAP Organising Secretary, when addressing election workers at the Sungai Besi DAP Branch on Tuesday, December 3, 1968 at 8.30p.m.

Last week, the Vice Chairman of the United Chinese School Teachers’ Association, Mr. Loot Ting Yu, said that communist activity in Chinese schools could be eliminated if the ‘outstanding grievances of the Chinese educated community can be solved.’

This is an observation which is shared by all those who understand the problems and grievances of the Chinese educated community.

Over the years, the Chinese-educated provided recruits for extreme politics, not because Chinese education made them extremists, but because of the resentments and frustrations felt by the Chinese-educated. Continue reading Chinese education

Tamil schools

Speech by DAP Candidate of the Serdang State By-Election Candidate, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, who is also the DAP Organising Secretary at a public meeting at Puchong Balai Ra’ayat on Sunday, December 1, 1968 at 6 p.m.

The Tamil primary school in Puchong was burnt to the ground yesterday. The school, which was built in 1947, had morning and afternoon sessions, and had classes up to Standard Five.

At the last general elections, the Alliance, and its candidates, new M. P. Mr. Michael Chen, promised to build a new school building for the Tamil primary school. But up till yesterday, when it was burnt down, no plans to fulfil the Alliance election pledge was made.

Now as the primary school had unfortunately been burnt down, I urge the Alliance government to immediately build a new Tamil primary school so that the students can continue schooling when the new school year begins in early January. Continue reading Tamil schools

Serdang’s 20 Points – DAP by-election pledge

Speech by the DAP candidate for the Serdang State by-election, Mr. Lim Kit Siang who is also DAP Organising Secretary, at the first DAP by-election rally at Salak South New Village on Sunday, December 1, 1968 at 8 p.m

The Democratic Action Party has entered the Serdang by-election to help bring about a new Malaysia where there is socialist and cultural democracy.

We want a socialist democracy because we want to end the economic and social exploitation of man by man, class by class, or race by race.

We want a cultural democracy because we stand for equality and justice for all races, languages and cultures. Continue reading Serdang’s 20 Points – DAP by-election pledge

Minister of Health and doctors

The DAP Organising Secretary and DAP Candidate for the Serdang State By-election, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, today issued the following statement (30.11.68):

In less than eight months, Dr. Ng Kam Poh had been demoted from the Minister of Health to the Minister of Welfare services. From a Minister who was in charge of disbursing $150 million a year in the Health Ministry, Dr. Ng had now only $5 million in the Welfare Ministry to fiddle about.

Why was Dr. Ng demoted? Why did Dr. Ng meekly agree to his own demotion? The public is entitled to know.

We all know that every waking minute, an intense power struggle is going in the Alliance party, whether between the UMNO and the MCA or even within the UMNO and MCA themselves.

It is also clear that Dr. Ng had upset a lot of people when he announced that he was going to make surprise visits to hospitals to check on the staff. Continue reading Minister of Health and doctors

Reply to Dr. Tan Chee Khoon

The DAP Organising Secretary and Candidate for the Serdang State By-election, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, today issued the following statement:

It makes me sad to read Dr. Tan Chee Khoon’s press statement today accusing the DAP of distorting the Gerakan’s cultural stand.

At the challenge of Dr. Syed Naguib Alatas, Gerakan’s cultural expert, the DAP and the Gerakan had a 6½-hr debate at the MARA Auditorium on Nov. 24 under the chairmanship of Mr.D. R. Seenivasagam of PPP. Continue reading Reply to Dr. Tan Chee Khoon

Serdang by-election a test for the cause of multi-racialism

The DAP Organising Secretary and DAP Candidate for the Serdang State by-election (Selangor), Mr. Lim Kit Siang, today (28.11.68) issued the following statement after Nomination:

The Serdang State by-election is a test for the cause of multi-racialism and a Malaysian Malaysia.

Since independence, the forces of racialism and cultural and language chauvinism, as represented by the Alliance, and lately by the Gerakan as enunciated by its cultural expert, Dr. Syed Naguib Alatas, have dominated Malaysian political life.

This is why with every passing year, there is growing national division – because the various races, cultures and languages do not feel that they have a equal stake in a Malaysian nation, where there is no economic and political equality, cultural and language liberty, and social justice.

The Penang racial riots last year could be traced directly to this growing national mood of alienation among Malaysians.

All Malaysians who believe in the cause of a multi-racial Malaysia, and reject a communal and chauvinist Malaysia based on one language, one culture, must unite now to turn the tide of growing racialism. If we don’t act resolutely now, and defeat the forces of racialism in the constitutional and democratic arena, it may be too late. Continue reading Serdang by-election a test for the cause of multi-racialism

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at the Great Economic Debates, 1968 series on “What are the obstacles that impede the growth of greater national cohesion among Malaysians” organised by the University of Malaya Economics Society on Tuesday, 26th November 1968 at 8 p.m.

The subject tonight is on “What are the obstacles that impede the growth of greater national cohesion among Malaysians.” But I feel the forum should more appropriately be on “What are the causes of growing national division among Malaysians.” because I do not see any greater national cohesion over the years since Merdeka.

When you come into the University from the E. P. F. way, you will be greeted by a huge hoarding board advertising the national flag and national anthem, urging the people to respect them.

If we are achieving greater national cohesion over the years, it would not have been necessary for the Alliance government to put up such hoarding, ten years after Merdeka, degrading our national symbols to the same status as advertised goods like groundnuts, beer, shoes, cigarettes, shampoo, etc.

Nor would it have been necessary ten years after Merdeka to pass a law to compel respect to the National Anthem.

In my view, the causes of growing national division among Malaysians are three. They are communalism, economic inequality and a short-sighted, incompetent and bumbling government.

Continue reading Speech by DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at the Great Economic Debates, 1968 series on “What are the obstacles that impede the growth of greater national cohesion among Malaysians” organised by the University of Malaya Economics Society on Tuesday, 26th November 1968 at 8 p.m.

DAP-Gerakan Cultural Debate (Speech)

REF: LKS/16/11/68

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at the DAP-Gerakan cultural debate at the MARA Auditorium on Sunday, November 24, 1968 at 10 a.m.

Mr. Chairman and fellow Malaysians.

We gather here today to debate and discuss the DAP and Gerakan cultural policy, so as to ascertain whose policy is more relevant and suitable to Malaysia.

I submit that what we are debating and discussing today is one of the most vital problems facing Malaysia, because on it will depend the success or failure of the Malaysian experiment in multi-racial nationhood. Continue reading DAP-Gerakan Cultural Debate (Speech)

Letter regarding the DAP-Gerakan Cultural Debate Venue

21.11.68

The Editor,
Eastern Sun,
Jalan Sultan,
Kuala Lumpur.

Dear Sir,

I refer to a letter by one ‘Malaysian’, which appeared in today’s Eastern Sun, 21.11.68 accusing me of trying to withdraw from the DAP-Gerakan cultural debate over the dispute over the venue.

If ‘Malaysian’ had read the Eastern Sun of Nov. 13, he would not have written such a misinformed and unfounded letter.

In the Nov. 13 report, the Eastern Sun reported me as saying:

“As Dr. Naguib Alattas insists on the MARA auditorium, I am perfectly agreeable.”

The MARA Auditorium was always acceptable to me. I had latterly suggested the Chinese Assembly Hall because I discovered that the Hall had three times the capacity as the MARA Auditorium, which could house less than 500 people.

I had thought that Dr. Syed Naguib Alatas, being the learned scholar that he is, would want more people to hear his words of wisdom and learning.

The DAP has agreed in toto to the procedures for the debate suggested by the proposed Chairman, Mr. D.R. Seenivasagam. It is now left to the Gerakan to agree, and then to wait for Nov. 24, for the two parties to explain their respective cultural policies.

Yours sincerely,

Lim Kit Siang
(Organising Secretary)
Democratic Action Party

Audited on 2021-03-17