Category: Economy

The Second Malaysia Plan 1970-1975

First of all, this House should note that we are not debating the Development Plan for the next five years, but for the next four-and-a-half years. Six months of this Five-year Second Malaysia Plan have already passed before this Plan comes before this House. This speaks most eloquently for the authoritarian nature of the present government, which professes democratic rule. What this House and co country think, feel and decide do not matter. The Alliance Government has decided, and this is that.

The Second Five-year Plan opens with this passage:

“National unity is the over-riding objective of the country…..This direction toward national unity and progress is fundamental to the New Economic Policy. The Second Malaysia Plan, based on this Policy, is designed to facilitate the achievement of the national objective”. Continue reading The Second Malaysia Plan 1970-1975

A Challenge to Tun Tan Siew Sin

Challenge to Tun Tan Siew Sin

When prices of essential commodities and ordinary consumer items are one after another going up, increasing the burden and hardships of the housewives and the common man, all that the Minister of Finance, Tun Tan Siew Sin, can do is to give a verbal assurance that there is no danger of inflation in te country in a big way.

What has Tun Tan Siew Sin got to say about the chain increase of prices of consumer items and essential goods, like salt, sugar, cooking oil, bread, meat, milk, petrol, etc. Continue reading A Challenge to Tun Tan Siew Sin

DAP calls for a permanent consumers’ watchdog committee to check unreasonable price increases of commodities

The Secretary-General of DAP and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, today issued the following statement:

DAP calls for a permanent consumers’ watchdog committee to check unreasonable price increases of commodities

The increase in the price of petrol and diesel is the latest in a series of increases in the prices of basic essential and consumer items, which had included salt, sugar, bread, cooking oil, soap, meat. Continue reading DAP calls for a permanent consumers’ watchdog committee to check unreasonable price increases of commodities

Government’s aim to eradicate poverty and to strengthen national unity

Speech by Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka (DAP) Mr.Lim Kit Siang, in the Dewan Ra’ayat on the debate on the Royal Address from the Throne on 9.3.1971

Mr.Speaker, Sir, His Majesty, the Yang di-Peruan Agong, in his Royal Address, spoke of the government’s aim to eradicate poverty and to strengthen national unity.

We do not quarrel with these objectives. But there is considerable room for disagreement as to whether government policies and measures are aimed at these objectives, or whether, on the converse, they can only aggravate economic inequality and undermine national solidarity and unity.

Despite the government’s multi-pronged economic policies, the single most important economic and social problem continues to be unemployment, which condemns hundreds of thousands of Malaysians to a sentences of poverty, social humiliation and disgrace. Continue reading Government’s aim to eradicate poverty and to strengthen national unity

The 1971 Budget

The 1971 Budget

Tun Tan Siew Sin’s new taxes, as in the case of all his previous budgets, are biased in favour of the haves and the rich, and weighted against the have-nots and the laboring class.

A good case in point is the doubling of the surtax on all imports from 2% to 4%.

Doubled Surtax

The blanket surtax increase for all imports will raise the cost of imports, such as imported foodstuffs, clothing, medicine, building materials such as locks, screws, steel bars, leading to an increased coast of living. For the lower income group, this will greatly add to their present hardships and difficulties. Continue reading The 1971 Budget

Alliance masterplan, religious persecutions & 1971 Budget

Statement by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a press conference held at 86, Jonker street, Malacca, on Monday, 21st December 1970 at 10.30 a.m.

Alliance masterplan to buy over DAP MPs and State Assemblymen

The Alliance has a masterplan to buy over DAP MPs and State Assemblymen to defect to the Alliance.

Alliance intermediaries are approaching DAP MPs and State Assemblymen with offers of money, position, office and economic inducements to persuade them to cross over to the Alliance. In some cases, these material inducements are not so direct and blatant, the approach made seemingly on an intellectual level. But underlying these approaches even, the material inducements is held out indirectly. Continue reading Alliance masterplan, religious persecutions & 1971 Budget

1971 Ordinary Budget & National Consultative Council

Statement by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a press conference held at 63-D Jalan Sultan, Kuala Lumpur on Monday 7th December 1970 at 11 a.m.

1971 Ordinary Budget

On behalf of the 13-strong DAP Parliamentary group, I shall move a motion of censure against the Finance Minister Tun Tan Siew Sin, if Tun Tan Siew Sin imposes unjust, inequitable and retrograde taxation on December 18 without parliamentary approval. Continue reading 1971 Ordinary Budget & National Consultative Council

Tun Tan Siew Sin imposes taxes without Parliamentary approval

Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a Hari Raya Puasa Tea Party organized by Bangsar DAP held at 63-D Jalan Sultan, Kuala Lumpur at 5.30 p.m.

Notice to move a motion of censure against Tun Tan Siew Sin if he imposes taxes without Parliamentary approval

Despite DAP and widespread public protests, the Finance Minister, Tun Tan Siew Sin, seems bent in his refusal to present the 1971 Ordinary Budget to Parliament for debate and approval. Tun Tan will only present his 1971 Ordinary Budget to National Operations Council on Dec. 18. where he need not justify his financial policies and new taxes to the elected representatives of the people. Continue reading Tun Tan Siew Sin imposes taxes without Parliamentary approval

Parliament, China & Budget 1971

Statement by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a press conference at DAP Kuala Lumpur Branch at 63-D Jalan Sultan, Kuala Lumpur, on Wednesday, 4th Nov. 1970 at 3p.m.

Convening and Official Opening of Parliament

A local press (Nanyang Siang Pao) reported todat that the official installation of the new Yang di-Pertuan Agong will be held on February 20 next year, and not February 16 as previously announced.

According to this report, the reconvening of Parliament, previously announced as to be on February 17, is now of uncertain date. Continue reading Parliament, China & Budget 1971

The 1971 Budget

Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a reception given by DAP Bungsar Branch on Sunday, November 1, 1970 at 5p.m.

The 1971 Budget

The Finance Minister, Tun Tan Siew Sin, disclosed yesterday that the Budget for next year will be announced on Dec. 18, and indicated that like the previous year’s budget, will take the form of a National Operations Council presentation.

If Parliament is not allowed to debate and approve the 1971 Budgetary estimates of expenditure and taxation proposals, then it will have to wait until the end of 1972 before it could discharge its important duty to be the financial watchdog of the country over the government’s expenditures. Continue reading The 1971 Budget