Category: Human Rights

Inquiry into death of Madam Ong Kwee Hian

Call for inquiry into death of Madam Ong Kwee Hian, whom the Tampin General Hospital ambulance refuse to take to Malacca General Hospital on grounds that the ambulance cannot cross state borders

The local press (Sin Chew Jit Poh) today carried a shocking report of the death of a Malacca woman rubber tapper.

The woman tapper, Madam Ong Kwee Hian of Batang Malacca, was bicycling to work in Ayer Kuning Estate with her husband in the early hours of yesterday morning, when she fell and sustained severe head injuries. Continue reading Inquiry into death of Madam Ong Kwee Hian

DAP deplores and condemns government decision to abolish local authorities in Malaysia

Press Conference Statement in Parliament House Committee Room 2 at 5.30 p.m.

DAP deplores and condemns government decision to abolish local authorities in Malaysia

The Democratic Action Party deplores and condemns government decision to abolish local authorities in Malaysia.

It is even more regrettable that this government decision was made public in the form of a Ministerial statement in the Dewan Ra’ayat today by the Minister of Technology, Research and Local Government, Dato Ong Kee Hui, where Members of Parliament has no chance to debate.

The DAP calls on the Minister to immediately table the Athi Nahappan Report and to give Members of Parliament a chance to debate a matter which concerns the life and death of grass-roots democracy in Malaysia. Continue reading DAP deplores and condemns government decision to abolish local authorities in Malaysia

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

Eviction of 2,000 people

Press Statement

About 2,000 people residing on the land between Jalan Kuantan and Jalan Seavoy, of about 230 houses, have been given one week’s notice by the Setapak Tin Land Syndicated Ltd. and Ban Hock Hin Mining Ltd. to demolish their houses tomorrow, 13th December 1968.

The resident were asked to shift to Subang, more than 20 miles from their present residence, without compensation whatsoever.

The majority of the resident are hawkers and construction workers. Now they are threatened with the destruction of their homes, where many have stayed from 10 to 50 years, the disruption of their means of livelihood, and even the deprivation of educational opportunities for their children, for the nearest schools to the proposed Subang site are five to ten miles away. Continue reading Eviction of 2,000 people

Proposal for good behaviour prisoners

The proposal to allow good-behaviour prisoners at the end of their sentence to have weekly family reunion is an enlightened and progressive one, as it will help to condition them to return to normal family life.

It is in keeping with the modern emphasis on the rehabilitation aspect of the penal system, instead of on the penalty aspect. Continue reading Proposal for good behaviour prisoners

DAP calls for the establishment of a Human Rights Commission in Malaysia to review how far we have implemented the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to make recommendations for the full implementation

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, to the Pudu DAP Branch on Wednesday, October 23, 1968 at 8 p.m.:

Tomorrow is United Nations Day. This year, the United Nations Day is more significant than in previous years, because 1968 has been proclaimed as the International Year for Human Rights to commemorate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights twenty years ago.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a unique document, spelling out the fundamental rights of individuals, which should be ‘a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations.’

Twenty years have passed since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the proclamation of 1968 by the United Nations as the International Year for Human Rights is for peoples and nations throughout the world to take stock of the progress that has been made to implement the Declaration.

It is regrettable that apart from paying lip-service, Malaysia, a member of the United Nations, is not observing the International Year for Human Rights and implementing some of the recommendations of the Assembly for Human Rights for this year. Continue reading DAP calls for the establishment of a Human Rights Commission in Malaysia to review how far we have implemented the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to make recommendations for the full implementation

A tribute to Mrs. Lee Cheng Lai

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at the 11th Merdeka Anniversary Dinner organised by the Johore Bahru DAP Branch at the new Hong Kong Restaurant on Saturday, August 31, 1968 at 7 p.m.

Johore Bahru was one of the centres in the nation-wide campaign to save the 13 Malaysian youths condemned for consorting with Indonesian confrontation from hanging at the gallows. Continue reading A tribute to Mrs. Lee Cheng Lai

The Minister who is always on the run & Mercy plea for the two youths in Perak

The DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, today (27.8.68) issued the following statement:

1. The Minister who is always on the run

After inaugurating the 28-member High Education Council at Parliament House yesterday, the Minister of Education, Inche Khir Johari, told the press that he would not take part in two debates which he had been challenged to. (Nanyang Siang Pao and Sin Chew Jit Poh).

The first was to a debate with Professor Syed Hussein Alatas on the Higher Education Planning Committee Report. Inche Khir, who had earlier declared that he would take part in the debate, now claim that he is too busy, and that with the formation of the Higher Education Council, the Council Chairman, Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamed, should debate with Professor Syed Hussein Alatas. Continue reading The Minister who is always on the run & Mercy plea for the two youths in Perak

DAP hails stay of execution of the 11 condemned

The DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, today (16.8.68) issued the following statement:

The people of all races in Malaysia, and of all nationalities throughout the world, sighed with relief on the announcement by the Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, declaring a stay of execution of the 11 condemned youths.

Malaysia, which has been standing trial at the bar of world opinion for six weeks as to whether we are a nation of mercy, compassion, and humanity, or whether we are an unfeeling, callous and heartless people, has gone some way to redeem her name and image in the world. Continue reading DAP hails stay of execution of the 11 condemned

Senu’s “tension high” statement may heighten tension when there isn’t any

The DAP Organising Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, today (24.7.68) issued the following statement:

The Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Inche Senu bin Abdul Rahman, has given a serious warning that tension had become high among a certain section of the population over the clemency appeal for the 11 men condemned to death for consorting with the Indonesian confrontationists.

We deplore in the strongest language possible such Ministerial statements, as they may have the effect of arousing tension in the country when there isn’t tension. Continue reading Senu’s “tension high” statement may heighten tension when there isn’t any