Category: Labour

Lim Kit Siang warns against using of emergency powers to control rice situation

Ketua Pembangkang and DAP Secretary-General, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, today issued the following statement (9.10.1973):

Lim Kit Siang warns against using of emergency powers to control rice situation

The Deputy Prime Minister, Dato Hussein Onn, said yesterday that the government will muster all resources and, if necessary, use its emergency powers to impose heavier penalties on rice smugglers, hoarders and profiteers.

The Opposition is opposed to the use of emergency powers in normal times, for it will lead to considerable abuse of powers.

If the government feels that the penalties for rice smugglers, hoarders and profiteers are inadequate, the government should convene an emergency session of Parliament to increase these penalties.

An emergency session of Parliament can be called in a matter of three or four days, as was done when the Parliament was convened in emergency session within a matter of days in 1967 to change the constitution to topple Dato Stephen Kalong Ningkan as Chief Minister of Sarawak. Continue reading Lim Kit Siang warns against using of emergency powers to control rice situation

Not fair to put the blame for price increases on retailers

Speech by Ketua Pembangkang and DAP Secretary-General, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a Public Rally at Chemor on Sunday, 7th October 1973 at 8 p.m.

Ministry of Trade and Industry should not put the blame for price increases on retailers but should take action to stop price increases at production and importer level

With the spiraling increases in all prices, the Ministry of trade and Industry should sympathise with the difficulties of retailers and not put the blame for price increases on retailers, or encourage the people to have such an attitude.

Several months back, Alliance Ministers were suggesting that consumers boycott retailers because of price increases. Last month, when the rice crisis recurred a second time in a period of four months, the LPN at first blamed the retailers for hoarding and claimed that there was plenty of rice in the country. In actual fact, there was rice shortage and the retailers themselves were unable to get rice supplies – which was later admitted by the LPN.

Although there are some profiteers who try to make a quick profit, the retailers are not the cause of price increases. They are themselves the victim of prices inflation, which have greatly complicated their human relationship problems with their customers, especially in the remote areas. Continue reading Not fair to put the blame for price increases on retailers

DAP calls on all State Government and all State Development Corporations to be model employers

Speech by Opposition Leader and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr.Lim Kit Siang, at a public rally held at Nibong Tebal, Province Wellesley on 25th August, 1973 at 9p.m.

DAP calls on all State Government and all State Development Corporations to be model employers and ensure that workers in all industries in which they have participation are given affair living wage

In Malaysia’s drive to industrialise and woo foreign capital, the Malaysian government must not lose sight of the interests of the workers and the working class.

A proper and just balance must be struck between the capitalist profit motive on the one-hand, and the worker and the public’s interests on the others.

It is unfortunate that on many instances, the government’s industrialisation programme seems to give a blank cheque to foreign and local industries to maximise their profit margin, regardless of the exploitation suffered by the workers in terms of sweated wages or by the public consumers in terms of overpriced products in a captive or protective domestic market. Continue reading DAP calls on all State Government and all State Development Corporations to be model employers

Organisation of unorganised the first agenda for the working movement

Speech by Ketua Pembangkang and DAP Secretary- General Mr. Lim Kit Siang at a May Day Tea Party organised by the DAP Labour Bureau at the Pudu DAP Branch on 1st May 1973 at 10 a.m.

Although the government has declared May Day as a public holiday, the workers and the people must not allow themselves to be misled into thinking that the Alliance Government has turned overnight into a pro-labour government. This will be to mistake form for substance.

The Alliance Government’s laws, measures and polices remain anti-labour and pro-employer. The success of the workers to get the government to make May Day a public holiday in recognition of the workers’ place in national development is only the first step in a long struggle to achieve for the workers their rightful place in Malaysian society and the enjoyment of the just fruits for their labour.

In my view, one of the most outstanding problems in the working population is the problem of unorganised workers. Over 70 per cent of the workers are unorganised, completely at the tender mercies of the managements. We read in the press, and many go unreported, of the countless examples of workers being victimsed, intimidated and even dismissed for daring to exercise their basic right to form a union or to join a union. The Industrial Relations act 1967, which though enshrines the right of workers to unionise, does not provide any enforcement to uphold these rights. Continue reading Organisation of unorganised the first agenda for the working movement

Remove anti-labour clauses and safeguard and protect the right of workers

Speech by DAP Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, in the Dewan Rakyat on the 1973 Ministry of Labour and Manpower Estimates on 25 January 1973

1. Call for royal commission of inquiry into the labour laws in the country to remove anti-labour clauses and safeguard and protect the right of workers to a just share of the fruits of their labour. .

Firstly, let me express my disappointment that although we were promised that at this session of Parliament, the Ministry of Labour and Manpower would be tabling amendments to labour legislations in the country, we have not received any Bill or indication. I hope the Minister can tell the workers in the country as to the government’s intentions on this.

The workers are the most neglected lot under the Second Malaysia Plan. There has been increasing labour unrest since the launching of the Second Malaysia Plan, and in the last few months, industrial disputes have come thick and fast.

The Alliance Government’s policy under the Second Malaysian Plan is to have a vast reservoir of docile and cheap labour, to attract foreign capitalists. Unemployment rate is so high that the bargaining strength of the workers are undermined – for the employers can easily dismiss ‘difficult’ workers and replace them with even cheaper labour. Furthermore, they have the blessing of the government. Continue reading Remove anti-labour clauses and safeguard and protect the right of workers

Call on the Government to set up a special government department to give new economic opportunities to the over 100,000 retrenched estate labourers in Malaysia

Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr Lim Kit Siang, when declaring open the Tamil drama ‘Born To Live’ organised by the Ipoh Arts Society in aid of the education of children of retrenched estate labourers held at Ipoh Town Hall on Saturday 9th Dec. 1972 at 8.30 p.m.

Call on the Government to set up a special government department to give new economic opportunities to the over 100,000 retrenched estate labourers in Malaysia

Firstly, I want to thank the Ipoh Arts Society for the kind invitation to me to come and say a few words at the opening of this evening’s Tamil drama in aid of the educational needs of children of retrenched estate labourers. Continue reading Call on the Government to set up a special government department to give new economic opportunities to the over 100,000 retrenched estate labourers in Malaysia

DAP calls for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the nation’s labour laws to remove anti-labour clauses and to safeguard and protect the right of workers to a just share of the fruits of their own labour

Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, when speaking to the Malacca DAP State Sub-Committee Meeting in Malacca on Tuesday, 3rd October 1972 at 5 p.m

DAP calls for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the nation’s labour laws to remove anti-labour clauses and to safeguard and protect the right of workers to a just share of the fruits of their own labour

The workers are the most neglected lot under the Second Malaysia Plan. There has been increasing labour unrest since the launching of the Second Malaysia Plan, and in the last few months, industrial disputes have come thick and fast. Continue reading DAP calls for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the nation’s labour laws to remove anti-labour clauses and to safeguard and protect the right of workers to a just share of the fruits of their own labour

DAP calls for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the nation’s labour laws to remove anti-labour clauses and to safeguard and protect the right of workers

Extracts of speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, when speaking at the sixth anniversary dinner of the Johore Bahru DAP Branch at Johore Bahru Hotel, Johore Bahru on Thursday, 28th September 1972 at 9 p.m.

DAP calls for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the nation’s labour laws to remove anti-labour clauses and to safeguard and protect the right of workers to a just share of the fruits of their labour

The workers are the most neglected lot under the Second Malaysia Plan. There has been increasing labour unrest since the launching of the Second Malaysia Plan, and in the last few months, industrial disputes have come thick and fast. Continue reading DAP calls for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the nation’s labour laws to remove anti-labour clauses and to safeguard and protect the right of workers

DAP calls on the Alliance Government to launch a special development programme

Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a DAP Public Rally at Sungei Siput on Sunday, 17th September 1972 at 10 p.m.

DAP calls on the Alliance Government to launch a special development programme to give land, jobs and homes to the people of Sungei Siput to remove the barbed wires in their hearts and minds

Since the launching of the Operation Setia on Sept.25 last year at 3 a.m., starting with a 51 hour continuous curfew, the people of Sungei Siput have felt the heavy hand of the government, and have been made to feel that they are disloyal and anti-national elements. Continue reading DAP calls on the Alliance Government to launch a special development programme

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