Will Inche Harun bin Hashim take action if a Cabinet Minister is a director of a private firm?

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a DAP Public Rally at Jalan Meru, Klang on Wednesday, 12th March 1969 at 8p.m.

Four nights ago, at a public rally at Gemas Bahru in Segamat, Johore, I asked the Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, and the Director of Anti-Corruption Agency, Inche Harun bin Hashim, whether it was proper for a Cabinet Minister to be one and the same time a director of a private firm.

There is no reply from the Prime Minister. However, the Director of Anti-Corruption Agency, Inche Harun bin Hashim, told a local Chinese press, Malayan Thung Pao, that the legal position was very clear that a Cabinet Minister could not be a director of a private firm at one and the same time.

Inche Harun also said that if I have any information, I should give it to him directly.

I am prepared to give him information, directly and publicly. But before I do this, I want an assurance from him that on receipt of my information, he would institute immediate investigations and take all the necessary actions – and that he would not allow the Cabinet to interfere or veto with his investigations and duties. Continue reading Will Inche Harun bin Hashim take action if a Cabinet Minister is a director of a private firm?

Can a Cabinet Minister be a director of private firm?

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at the second anniversary dinner of the DAP Penang Branch at Violet Café, Jalan Magazine, Penang on Saturday, 1st March 1969 at 8p.m.

Is it proper for a minister of the Cabinet to be one and the same time a director of a private firm?

Is it proper, say, for a Minister of Commerce and industry to be also a director of a private manufacturing firm, or for a Minister of Housing to be a director of a private firm dealing with the sale of construction materials?

I ask the Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, and the Director of Anti-Corruption Agency, Inche Harun bin Hashim, this question.

When the Anti-Corruption Agency was set up early last year, its Director, Inche Harun bin Hashim, hit the headlines continuously, with his announcement of anti-corruption measures, and his determination to act against all those dealing with corrupt practices – including politicians. He said no one was too high or too low for him to investigate. Continue reading Can a Cabinet Minister be a director of private firm?

Tun Tan Siew Sin’s ‘bogus’ budget

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, art a DAP Public Rally at Jalan Brunei, Pudu, Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, February 12, 1969 at 8p.m.

As a result of Tun Tan Siew Sin’s budget last month, the apples and oranges for this Chinese New Year are costing more than previous years.

But this is the last Chinese New Year where only the prices of oranges and apples go up. From the next Chinese New Year onwards, the prices of all goods will shoot up, causing a very much higher cost of living than today.

This is because Tun Tan Siew Sin’s next budget is going to be a very painful one for the people of Malaysia, as it will be a budget of multiple taxes.

Tun Tan Siew Sin and his Treasury boys must have already worked out a host of new and regressive taxes to introduce after the next general elections. Continue reading Tun Tan Siew Sin’s ‘bogus’ budget

Tun Tan Siew Sin’s deception

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a DAP Public Rally at Yew Road, Pudu, on Sunday, January 26, 1969 at 8p.m. to mark the opening of the Pudu DAP Branch the same afternoon

On 9th January, the Finance Minister, Tun Tan Siew Sin presented a painless budget, and announced that all is well with the Malaysian economy, although unemployment have reached alarming proportions and the country is in debt by over $4,000 million.

Tun Tan was clearly presenting an election budget to deceive the people, in the hope of getting their votes during the coming general elections.

But a week after Tun Tan announced in Parliament that the Alliance government was holding down defence expenditure, the Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, began a shopping spree in the Western European capitals for jet-fighters, which will cost Malaysia to the tune of $60 million to $100 million.

This is no small sum of money. Where is it to come from? Surely the money won’t fall from the sky. Didn’t Tun Tan know that the Prime Minister was going to shop for expensive jet-fighters? Continue reading Tun Tan Siew Sin’s deception

Public inquiry into the affairs of Mr. Khaw Khai Boh

Statement by DAP Serdang State by-election candidate and DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a press conference on Thursday, December 26, at 11 a.m.

Last Sunday, at a DAP public rally at Sungei Way new village, I called for an all-party commission of inquiry into the financial affairs of Cabinet Ministers.

I had said Cabinet Ministers should welcome such an inquiry because it would give them an opportunity to clear away the nation-wide impression and believe that their political and financial integrity could not bear public scrutiny and examination.

Since my public call for such an inquiry last Sunday, the Alliance Cabinet has not applied, indicating that they are not prepared to hold such an inquiry. This can only confirm and strengthen the public doubts about the political and financial integrity of Cabinet Ministers.

I had offered to inform such an inquiry of an improper relationship between an Alliance Cabinet Minister and private business, where there appears to be a prima facie case of conflict of interest between public duty and private and personal interests. Continue reading Public inquiry into the affairs of Mr. Khaw Khai Boh

Government special committee to cut down waste; DAP proposes all-party financial watchdog committee to control government waste and expenditure

The DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, today issued the following statement (29.10.68):

The Chairman of the Government Special Committee to cut down wasteful expenditure, Inche Abdullah bin Ayub, has given details as to how the government proposes to slash unnecessary expenditure, like the strict control of official transport, official air travel by economy class except for ‘very top VIPs’, reduction of overtime, etc.

One would have been more impressed if one had not heard all these proposals umpteenth times before.

If one goes through the old files and Hansards, we will find that these are exactly what the Finance Minister, Tun Tan Siew Sin, had been saying for the last ten years.

The very fact that Tun Tan and his officials had to continue to repeat this government intention to cut down waste for ten years is proof that the Alliance government had failed to do this for ten years. What guarantee is there that the Finance Ministry will succeed this time, where it had failed for ten years? Continue reading Government special committee to cut down waste; DAP proposes all-party financial watchdog committee to control government waste and expenditure