Category: Coalition Politics

The DAP is not an anti-Malay party: It is a pro-Malaysian party

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary and Parliamentary Candidate for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a DAP Public Rally at Bukit Rambai on April 18, 1969 at 10 p.m.

The DAP is not an anti-Malay party: It is a pro-Malaysian party

The Alliance and the MCA used to accuse the DAP of being anti-Malay because they claim we dare not contest in predominantly Malay constituency.

But in this general elections, we are contesting in several predominantly Malay constituencies, one of which is Bukit Rambai State Constituency in Malacca. This thoroughly exposes the mischief and malice of Alliance and MCA accusations.

What shocks me is that Tun Tan Siew Sin, the MCA President, should condemn the DAP for Contesting in a predominantly Malay constituency. Tun Tan said the DAP should not have fielded a candidate. Continue reading The DAP is not an anti-Malay party: It is a pro-Malaysian party

Basis for opposition co-operation in general elections

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary , Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a DAP Public rally at Ayer Puteh Road, Reservoir Gardens, Ayer Itam, Penang, on Saturday, January 18, 1969 at 8p.m.

Two weeks ago, the DAP proposed that the DAP, the PPP and the Gerakan should get together to arrive at an electoral understanding to prevent electoral conflicts in the same State and Parliamentary constituency in the general elections.

Such an electoral understanding will prevent the split of opposition votes which can only benefit the Alliance. This was what happened in the recent Serdang by-election in Selangor, where the DAP was narrowly defeated by the Alliance.

If the Serdang State by-election had been a straight fight between the DAP and the Alliance, there is no doubt that the DAP would have won. However, the Gerakan, although it knew it did not have a ghost of chance of winning, for reasons best known to its own leaders, fielded a candidate. In the event, it lost its deposit and helped the Alliance to win the seat on a minority vote.

The DAP does not want the mistake of Serdang to be repeated in other constituencies in the general elections. This was the reason why the DAP proposed to the Gerakan two weeks ago that there should be talks for an electoral pact. Continue reading Basis for opposition co-operation in general elections

The choice before the people of Serdang

Speech by the DAP Serdang State By election candidate, Mr. Lim Kit Siang who is also DAP Organising Secretary, at the first DAP by-election rally at Salak South New Village on December 26, 1968 at 8 p.m

On Saturday, 28th December, 1968, the 24,000 voters of Serdang will decide who is to be their next Assemblyman.

The choice before them is a very simple one: whether they want the Alliance to succeed, or whether they want the DAP to win.

There is no third or fourth choices, because the Serdang by-election is a battle between the DAP and the Alliance.
A vote for the Gerakan, or a boycott vote, will be a vote in aid of the Alliance, in that it will reduce the DAP’s votes, and brighten the chances of the Alliance in the by-election. Continue reading The choice before the people of Serdang

DAP calls for a commission of inquiry into financial affairs of Cabinet Ministers

Speech by DAP Serdang State by-election candidates, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, and DAP Organising Secretary, at a DAP Serdang by-election public rally at Sungei Way New Village on Sunday, December 22, 1968 at 8 p.m.

DAP calls for a commission of inquiry into financial affairs of Cabinet Ministers

Corruption in the Malaysian public service have increased over the years. Despite the repeated statements and speeches by Alliance Ministers on anti-corruption measures, however, the Malaysian public are not convinced that the Alliance government is capable of stamping out corruption in the country.

This is because the Alliance political leadership, from the Ministers downwards, have failed to impress the nation as men who are determined warriors against corruption and graft. On the other hand, the Alliance political leadership, including the Ministers, encourage the belief that they are very at home in a corruption and graft-ridden administration. Continue reading DAP calls for a commission of inquiry into financial affairs of Cabinet Ministers

A question for Mr. Michael Chen

Speech by DAP Candidate for Serdang State by-election, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, who is also DAP Organising Secretary, at the sixth DAP Serdang by-election rally at Salak South new village on Saturday, 14th December 1968.

A question for Mr. Michael Chen

A week ago, I asked the Alliance candidate, Mr. Thuan Phaik Phok, whether he support the DAP stand that “land does not belong to any one race or community, but belong to the nation, and should be given to Malaysian landless, regardless of race.”

Instead of giving a straightforward answer, Mr. Thuan tried to point out that there is a contradiction in the statement. Continue reading A question for Mr. Michael Chen

GERAKAN and Serdang By-election

The DAP Candidate for Serdang, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, who is also DAP Organising Secretary, today issued the following statement:

At the Gerakan Serdang by-election public rally in Serdang Bahru new village last Sunday, 8th December 1968, the Gerakan Secretary-General, Dr. Tan Chee Khoon asserted that the DAP and myself have branded the people of Serdang Bahru and Salak South new villages as ‘communists.’

This is a downright lie. I have never said or thought any such thing, nor is it the view of the DAP.

I invite Dr. Tan Chee Khoon to substantiate his statement, to state where and when I or the DAP had made any such statement. Continue reading GERAKAN and Serdang By-election

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

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

Note related to the DAP-Gerakan cultural debate

Note related to the DAP-Gerakan Cultural Debate, filed on 21st Nov 1968:

It is today learnt from a DAP source that DAP leaders had at first certain reservations about the DAP-Gerakan cultural debate, because of its likely adverse effect on an opposition electoral understanding for the general elections next year.

The source said that the DAP realised that the Malaysian public wanted the opposition parties to reach an electoral understanding so as not to benefit the Alliance through split opposition votes arising from three-cornered or more-cornered fights.

This was why the DAP negotiated and reached an electoral agreement with the People’s Progressive Party early this year.

The source said that there was no possibility of a merger between the DAP and the Gerakan because they had divergent cultural policies. Continue reading Note related to the DAP-Gerakan cultural debate

Debate with Dr. Syed Naguib Alatas

Statement by DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a Press Conference at 63-D Jalan Sultan, Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, November 7, 1968 at 2 p.m.

Dr. Syed Naguib Alatas now seems to suggest the although he is a national Gerakan leader, what he had said about Malaysian culture at the University of Malaya from in July this year were his personal views, and not that of the Gerakan.

Yet, in another breath, he said that some of his ideas form part of the Gerakan’s cultural policy.

I am not aware of any Gerakan cultural policy, apart from the one expounded by Dr. Syed Naguib Alatas, which is a brazen attempt to Indonesianise Malaysian culture. Continue reading Debate with Dr. Syed Naguib Alatas