Category: Estate

DAP calls for a full-scale public inquiry into the accidental shooting of two innocent tappers

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

DAP calls for a full-scale public inquiry into the accidental shooting of two innocent tappers by security forces in Kuala Kangsar on 27.5.1974 to restore the public confidence in the security forces

I have today written a letter to the Minister of Home Affairs, Tan Sri Ghazalie Shafie, calling for a full-scale public inquiry into the accidential shooting of two women tappers in Kuala Kangsar, by security forces on 27.5.1974, to restore the public confidence in the security forces and to prevent the deterioration of relations between the people and the government. Continue reading DAP calls for a full-scale public inquiry into the accidental shooting of two innocent tappers

Establish a Ministry to specially look after the socio-economic, educational, and cultural needs of the estate workers

Speech by DAP Secretary General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at the re-election of the Perak DAP Estates Sub-Committee held at IPOH on 23rd. September, 1973 at 1.30 p.m.

DAP Calls on NUPW branches to pass resolutions urging the Government to establish a Ministry to specially look after the socio-economic, educational, and cultural needs of the estate workers

I read with interest the resolutions passed by the 4th Malacca NUPW State Division General Meeting held in Malacca last Sunday.

The seven resolutions highlighted the socio-economic and educational problems faced by estate workers and their dependants throughout the country.

For over two decades, the socio-economic, educational and cultural needs of the estate workers have been neglected by the Government.

Recent government and private studies have all come to one conclusion: that the estate workers have lagged behind other Malaysians in economic sectors, whether in the social, economic or educational field. Continue reading Establish a Ministry to specially look after the socio-economic, educational, and cultural needs of the estate workers

DAP proposes residential schools by the government to cater for children of estate workers

Message by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, for the one-day seminar on the problems of estate labourers organized by the DAP Selangor State Estates Sub-Committee held at Klang DAP Branch on Sunday, 9th Sept. 1973 at 9 a.m.

DAP proposes the establishment of residential schools by the government to specially cater for children of estate workers

The Ministry of Education’s Murad Report on School Drop-outs made the following pertinent findings:

1. “The drop-out rate within the primary school years is substantially higher for Indians than the other two groups, more Indian youths drop out during their primary school years than do Malay or Chinese youths.” (p.19)

2. “For Indian youths, the finding of this study shows that they have, on the average, the lowest socio-economic status of the three communities and have a lower motivation than the Malays. As a result the rates of enrolment among Indians, for both age groups, are significantly lower than those of Malays and Chinese.” (p.26)
Continue reading DAP proposes residential schools by the government to cater for children of estate workers

The right of the retrenched estate workers

Speech by DAP Secretary General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, to the DAP National Estates Sub-Committee on Wednesday, July 4, 1973 at 8 p.m.

In sungei Siput on March 12, 1972, I announced the formation of the DAP National Estates Sub-Committee to champion the case of the retrenched estate workers, and in particular, to fight for the right of the retrenched estate workers to a decent life in Malaysia.

Since then, the DAP has consistently, inside and outside the Parliament and State Assemblies, raised the voice on behalf of the downtrodden estate workers, particularly those who had been displaced and thrown onto the unemployment heap.

The problems of the estate workers had in the last decade been mass retrenchment, a decent livelihood, citizenship, education.

For the last 16 months that the DAP National Estates Sub Committee has been in operation, the DAP voice for a new deal for estate workers wad ignored by the Government, and in particular the MIC, which claimed to be the champion of the Indian community in Malaysia. Continue reading The right of the retrenched estate workers

Call on the Government to stop neglecting and ignoring the plight of the estate labours in Malaysia

Message by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, to the meeting of the DAP Estates Sub-Committee Meeting held in Ipoh on Sunday, 20th August 1972 at 10a.m.

Call on the Government to stop neglecting and ignoring the plight of the estate labours in Malaysia

The events of the past few days have further proved the government’s indifference and unconcern about the plight and suffering of the estate labourers and retrenched workers in Malaysia.

In the general review of the rubber industry, the government has no word or thought for the estate labourers, who had made great sacrifices in sweat, toil and blood to build up the rubber industry. Continue reading Call on the Government to stop neglecting and ignoring the plight of the estate labours in Malaysia

DAP makes two-point proposal to help rubber smallholders

Speech by DAP Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, when speaking in the Dewan Rakyat on the debate on the Malaysian Rubber Exchange and Licensing Board Bill on 17th August 1972

DAP makes two-point proposal to help rubber smallholders

This Bill provides for the establishment of the Malaysian Rubber Exchange and Licensing Board to have overall control of all activities relating to the registration, licensing, export, shipping, packing and dealing in rubber, and the co-ordination of all activities in the marketing of rubber with a view to promote the efficient marketing of rubber from Malaysia. Continue reading DAP makes two-point proposal to help rubber smallholders

DAP calls on Government to include new villagers and retrenched estate labourers in governmental developmental programmes

Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, when speaking at the Dewan Rakyat in the debate over the 1972. Supplementary Development Estimates which was passed by Dewan Rakyat on 10th August 1972

DAP calls on Government to include new villagers and retrenched estate labourers in governmental developmental programmes

I wish to refer to only a few sub-heads. The first one is in connection with the Johore Tenggara project, which is one of the massive projects of the Government in pursuit of its Second Malaysia Plan in order to eliminate poverty regardless of race. I would like here to urge on the Government to translate this profession from just mere lip service to concrete results because there is a need, from the past one or two years’ operation, for the people to be convinced that the poor are going to be helped, not merely in pronouncements and platitudes, but in deeds, actions and results. Continue reading DAP calls on Government to include new villagers and retrenched estate labourers in governmental developmental programmes

Reply to Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam

Reply to Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam

I note with great interest Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam’s reply to me on my call for a government directive to all estate managements in the country to give priority in employment and reemployment opportunities to retrenched estate workers, as published in today’s Tamil Nesan.

What is particularly noteworthy in that reply is the unwillingness on the part of Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam to state that he would issue a directive to all estate managements to give first priority of employment and re-employment to retrenched estate labourers. Continue reading Reply to Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam

Letter to Minister of Labour and manpower to issue a directive to all estate management

Letter to Minister of Labour and manpower to issue a directive to all estate management to give first priority of employment and re-employment to retrenched estate workers.

I have today written a letter to the Minister of Labour, Tan Sri V. Manickavasagam, urging him to issue a directive to all estate management in the country to give priority in employment and re-employment opportunities to retrenched estate workers in the country.

My letter reads: Continue reading Letter to Minister of Labour and manpower to issue a directive to all estate management

Congratulations to Lim Kit Siang

Below is a translation of a reader’s letter to the Tamil Malar Press as published on the 3rd of April, 1972.

Congratulations to Lim Kit Siang

The step taken by the Democratic Action Party to form a committee to look into the problems affecting the estate workers and the Committee’s decision to submit a Memorandum to Tun Razak is laudable. In view of this, we the estate workers should come forward and give whatever help we can to the Committee.

The observation made by Lim Kit Siang that for many years, the estate workers have been faced with massive retrenchment, fragmentation of estates, loss of job during old age which has resulted in them losing their homes as well as their security is very true. Continue reading Congratulations to Lim Kit Siang