Category: Human Rights

Senu dims hope for clemency plea for 11 Johore youths

The DAP Organising Secretary, Mr Lim Kit Siang, today (22.7.68) issued the following statement:

Disbelief, dismay and shock must have been the reaction of compassionate Malaysians today when they read about the speech by the UMNO Youth Leader, Inche Senu bin Abdul Rahman, yesterday that the plea for a stay of execution of the 11 youths in Johore made by the editorial of the Alliance Party Journal, the Alliance, does not represent the views of Alliance leaders .

In his speech to the annual delegates conference of the Kinta Utara UMNO Youth Division, Inche Senu has dimmed the hopes of the majority of Malaysians who wish to see these 11 youths spared the supreme penalty of death. Continue reading Senu dims hope for clemency plea for 11 Johore youths

Campaign to save 11 youths strictly above party politics

The DAP organisng Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, today (19.7.68) issued the following statement :

DAP advice to Gerakan to keep the campaign to save 11 youths strictly above party politics

The Gerakan leader in Penang, Mr. Teh Ewe Lim, was reported in the press today as saying that the nation-wide signature campaign to save the 11 youths, initiated by the DAP, was not effective enough.

He announced that the Gerakan will hold a public rally in Penang on Sunday on this subject. This, Mr. Teh said, is a more effective way.

We earnestly urge Mr. Teh and his colleagues to keep this mission of mercy and humanity strictly above party politics. Continue reading Campaign to save 11 youths strictly above party politics

The case of the 11 condemned youths

DAP Replies to Alliance editorial: The case of the 11 condemned youths

The DAP welcomes the call by the editorial of the Alliance organ, the Alliance, urging a stay in the execution of the 11 youths condemned for consorting with Indonesians during Confrontation.

We must note with concern, however, the purpose of the call. According to the Alliance editorial, the call was made “in the hope that some fact may be brought to the fore would be enough to exonerate the condemned and save them from their own culpable tragedy.”

What new fact is likely to emerge concerning the case of the 11 youths? Is the Alliance organ suggesting that if no new fact emerges, these 11 youths deserve to be executed?

On the basis of present facts and arguments, the 11 youths deserve mercy and reprieve from the gallows. Continue reading The case of the 11 condemned youths

Malaysian National Signature Campaign

[Press Statement – Democratic Action Party]

Malaysian National Signature Campaign to seek the Sultan of Johore to reprieve the 11 Johore youths

Malaysians of all races, walks of life, religion and ages, throughout the country, have responded splendidly to the national signature campaign to petition the Sultan of Johore to exercise his prerogative of mercy to commute the death sentence passed on the 11 Johore youths to life imprisonment.

The fact that Malaysians voluntarily come forward to sign up show the depth of their humanity and compassion. Although the weekend was spent mostly in preparations in launching the campaign, we have collected over 20,000 signatures.

The campaign is now in full swing throughout the country. Apart from Penang, Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Malacca and Johore, the drive is spreading into Pahang. Continue reading Malaysian National Signature Campaign

The last hope to save the youths from the gallows

Speech by DAP organizing Secretary, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at the Johore Bahru DAP Branch to launch the signature campaign in Johore to appeal to the Sultan of Johore for clemency to commute the death sentence of the 11 Johore youths to life imprisonment on Saturday, July 13 at 7 p.m

The nation-wide signature campaign is the last hope to save the 11 Johore youths from death at the gallows.

Malaysia is a democratic country, and a democratic government must be responsive to the express will and wishes of the people of the country. Continue reading The last hope to save the youths from the gallows

Petition for clemency on death sentence

The DAP Organising Secretary, Mr Lim Kit Siang, today (12.7.68) issued the following statement:

Malaysian national signature campaign to petition the Sultan of Johore for clemency to commute the death sentence of Johore youths convicted of resorting with Indonesians during Confrontation

The nation-wide signature campaign, announced by DAP Secretary-General, Mr Goh Hock Guan, at a press conference this morning, to petition the Sultan of Johore for clemency to commute the death sentence of eleven Johore youths convicted of resorting with Indonesians during Confrontation, will get under way in Johore and Selangor tomorrow.

Plans have also been drawn up to launch the campaign in Malacca, Negeri Sembilan, Perak and Penang during the weekend. Continue reading Petition for clemency on death sentence

Challenge to the MCA

Talk by DAP Organising Secretary Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a public meeting at the Balai Ra’ayat at Kampong Coldstream organised by the Tapah DAP Branch on Saturday, 29th June 1968 at 8 p.m.

For the first time in the history of our country, there is a national political movement which stands for cultural democracy for the people of Malaysia. This is the Democratic Action Party.

By cultural democracy, we mean the full and free flowering and growth of all cultures and languages in Malaysia. We believe Malaysian culture should come about through the free and equal interaction and interchange of the various cultural streams in the country, and not through the imposition of one culture over the others. Continue reading Challenge to the MCA

Great trials and tribulations for Malaysian workers

Speech by DAP Organising Secretary, Mr Lim Kit Siang, when inaugurating the DAP Johore Labour Bureau in Johore Bahru on Saturday, 8th June 1968 at 5 pm.

The workers of Malaysia are entering a period of great trials and tribulations. They are facing their greatest challenge and onslaught from the management in the last two decades.

There are already many ominous signs. For the past month, there had been growing and spreading labour unrest in the estates.

Between six to eight thousand rubber tappers and workers had been retrenched. Major strikes are increasing all over the country. In Johore, 1,700 tappers and workers in the Johore Labis Estate in Cha’ah had been on strike for a month. All the indications are that industrial unrest are going to increase and even spread to other sectors of the economy, rather than decrease and subside. Continue reading Great trials and tribulations for Malaysian workers

Alliance government critized for neglecting people problems

The Democratic Action Party will contest in Sitiawan in the next general elections , the DAP Organising Secretary, Mr Lim Kit Siang, said last night.

Mr. Lim, who was speaking at a DAP meeting at Pekan Gurney, urged DAP members and supporters to work hard to return a DAP Member of Parliament for Sitiawan in the next Parliament.

Over 400 villagers from the surrounding areas attended the meeting.

Mr Lim said he was confident that the people of Sitiawan, like Malaysians in other constituencies, are utterly fed up with the yes – men in the Parliament and the State Assemblies.

He said: “ The people want true representatives of the ordinary men and women , who can fearlessly speak up for the people’s rights and interests, and put public service before self – interests.

“The people of Sitiawan can join large numbers of Malaysians elsewhere to bring about change and progress in Malaysia by sweeping out Alliance and MCA politicians in the next election, and bring into Parliament a band of sincere, dedicated and honest politicians with a mission to bring justice and equality to the nation.”

Mr. Lim criticised the Alliance government for neglecting the problems of the people. Continue reading Alliance government critized for neglecting people problems

Crisis in the Rubber Industry

Talk by DAP Organising Secretary, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, to the Slim River DAP Branch on Saturday,18th May 1968 at 5 p.m.

For over a year, there has been a crisis in the rubber industry.

When rubber price dropped to a 19-year-old low of 47 cents on September 13 last year, the government went into a frenzy of activities and won a lot of publicity by announcing its intervention in the rubber market until “a fair price” was obtained.

One assumed that the fair price the government had in mind then was fifty-five cents.

However, despite the reported sum of $10 million which had been allocated to the Government Rubber Trading Trust Account to stockpile rubber, the price of rubber had averaged below 50 cents since. Continue reading Crisis in the Rubber Industry