Category: General

Government White Paper on “The Resurgence of Armed Communism in West Malaysia”

Extracts of a talk by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a political discussion organized by the Malacca DAP State Division held at 33A Jln. Munshi Abdullah, Malacca on Tuesday, 5th Oct. 1971 at 7.30 p.m.

Government White Paper on “The Resurgence of Armed Communism in West Malaysia”

In its White Paper on “The Resurgence of Armed Communism in the country, however, is not a military one, but a political one.
History has given us countless examples, the latest of which is Vietnam, that ideas cannot be defeated by bullets, but only by better ideas.

The only way to meet and overcome the armed communist challenge is to have a genuine democracy in the country, where every Malaysians,
regardless of race or class, will unite to help preserve the society that they cherish. Continue reading Government White Paper on “The Resurgence of Armed Communism in West Malaysia”

Tour to Gajah Berang

Accompanied by DAP officials Sdr Ng Hoo Kiang and Chin Pak Loy, I continued my constituency tour yesterday, and visited Jalan Gajah Berang, which is partly in Kota Barat and partly in Kota Tengah State constituencies.

I am glad that a few days before my visit, the Municipality health workers have gone to the area and carried out anti-mosquito sprays after about a month’s neglect.

The drains in part of Jalan Gajah Berang are clogged with blackish refuse and dirt, gives off a very great stench, and a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

The Municipality should regularly clear drains, lallangs to remove breeding grounds for mosquitoes and flies. Continue reading Tour to Gajah Berang

National Floods-Relief and Rehabilitation

National Floods-Relief and Rehabilitation

The greatest and most urgent task today is the relief and rehabilitation of hundreds of thousands of flood victims throughout the country.

Although the government has set up a Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Committee under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister, Tun Abdul Razak, we still do not know how the government proposes to help and rehabilitate the hundreds and thousands of flood victims.

This is a matter of the greatest urgency. Those victims who have lost their houses, entire personal belongings and means of livelihood, cannot wait for weeks while the National Flood Relief and Rehabilitation Committee take their time to meet, minute and decide on what to do about the hunger, privation and cold of hundreds of thousands of Malaysians.

An immediate plan must be executed to alleviate the suffering of the flood victims. Continue reading National Floods-Relief and Rehabilitation

DAP to ASSSIT IN FLOOD RELIEF WORK

DAP to ASSSIT IN FLOOD RELIEF WORK

All DAP Members of Parliament, State Assemblymen, officials and members throughout the country have been instructed to assist in the flood evacuation, relief and rehabilition work.

All DAP Branches are available for use as flood evacuation and relief centres.

The DAP calls on the people of Malaysia to help generously all the flood evacuees at this moment of National Disaster and contribute cash, clothing, foodstuff to help the flood evacuees.

Reservation of hawker’s sites at Jalan Petaling

The DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, today issued the following statement (23.3.1969):

The Directors of Anti-Corruption Agency, Inche Harun bin Hashim, has announced the result of this investigations into the matter of the reservation of 15 best hawker’s sites at Jalan Petaling, Kuala Lumpur, during the last Chinese New Year.

Firstly, there are various inaccuracies in Inche Harun’s statement. I received a letter from Inche Nik Yusof, Selangor Chief of Anti-Corruption Agency, on Feb. 24 proposing a meeting. I telephoned Inche Nik Yusof immediately on receipt of the letter, the very same day. I was then leaving for outstation, and I said I would get in touch with him when I got back to Kuala Lumpur. I am sure Inche Nik Yusof could confirm this.

Four days later, I phoned Inche Nik Yusof proposing a meeting that very day, but Inche Nik Yusof was busy. We subsequently met on March 12.

But in his statement yesterday, Inche Harun said I got in touch with the Agency only four days after receipt of its letter, and suggested that I was trying to avoid the Agency. Why did Inche Harun resort to such misrepresentations? Has to got something to cover up? Continue reading Reservation of hawker’s sites at Jalan Petaling

A tribute to D.R. Seenivasagam

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a condolence meeting for the late D.R. Seenivasagam hold at the Puchong 14 m.s. DAP Branch on Wednesday, 19th March 1969 at 6 p.m.

We gather here today to honour the memory of Ipoh’s most famous son and Malaysia’s most outstanding opposition leader in the last 15 years, the late D.R. Seenivasagam.

Malaysians have lost a leader and a fearless crusader against corruption, racialism and all forms of social injustice and inequality, whether between the races, languages or even classes.

For 15 years, D.R. Seenivasagam dedicated himself to one noble idea 0 the realization of a equal and just Malaysian society, where there are no first-class or second-class citizens, and where all languages, including Tamil, Chinese and English share official status with Malay, and where is no exploitation of man by man, race by race , language by language.

For 15 years, D.R. Seenivasagam held high the torch of individual rights and liberties against growing government threats from the Alliance. Continue reading A tribute to D.R. Seenivasagam

Electricity for Puchong 14.m.s.

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at the Puchong 14.m.s. DAP Branch on Tuesday, 4th March 1969 at 8p.m.

Even up to today, there is still no electricity for the people of Puchong 14.m.s when their friends at Puchong 12.m.s, which is a much smaller area, have already been enjoying the facilities of electricity for a considerable time.

There is no reason why electricity cannot be extended to Puchong 14.m.s. if we have a government which genuinely cares for the welfare and livelihood of the people.

The people of Puchong pay as much taxes and rates as people in other areas, which have electricity. Why are the people of Puchong 14.m.s discriminated against?

The people of Puchong want to know what the Member of Parliament for the area, Mr. Michael Chen, the Parliamentary Secretary to Tun Razak, had done in the last five years to bring electricity to Puchong 14.m.s. to light up the lives of his voters in the area? Continue reading Electricity for Puchong 14.m.s.

Allocation of sites for hawkers at Jalan Petaling

(22.2.69)
Dear Inche Harun,

This is to bring your attention to certain improprieties in the allocation of sites for hawkers at Jalan Petaling, Kuala Lumpur during the pre-Chinese New Year sales period.

At the Balloting for Hawker’s sites at Jalan Petaling held on February 12 at the Chinese Assembly Hall, the 16 best sites were reserved, and not open for balloting. This is clearly improper.

It is believed that these reserved sites were let out to hawkers at prices raging from $400 to $600.

On 13th Feb., I issued a public statement asking the Municipal Hawkers’ Sub-Committee to explain why the 16 best sites were reserved, and to whom were they allocated.

Apart from a childish reply from the MCA Maju Ward, which claims credit for the entire arrangement, there has been no satisfactory explanation from the Municipal ‘Hawkers’ Sub-Committee. Continue reading Allocation of sites for hawkers at Jalan Petaling

Spare hawkers from police and government harassment during Chinese New Year festive season

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a DAP Public Rally at Loke Yew Flats, Bungsar, on Wednesday, January 29, 1969 at 9.45p.m.

An open appeal to Mr. Khaw Khai Boh to spare hawkers from police and government harassment during Chinese New Year festive season

The government and the police have tended to regard and treat hawkers as anti-social elements, on the level with thieves and burglars, to be harassed and bullied whenever the occasion arises.

This is a wrong attitude, which should be abandoned immediately. Hawkers, licensed or unlicensed, are trying to make out a living for themselves and their dependants from hawking.

If they do not or are not allowed to hawk, they and their families will starve and suffer, and their children will not be able to go to school, be in good health and have decent environment to grow up into useful citizens of Malaysia.

Just as poverty is basically a social problem, which it is the responsibility of the government to solve, similarly the hawker problem is a social problem, which the government must handle with humanity and compassion. Continue reading Spare hawkers from police and government harassment during Chinese New Year festive season

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.