Category: Parliamentary Speeches

Corruption

The following is the text of speech delivered by Sdr. Lim Kit Siang in the Dewan Rakyat on 27th October, 1975 on the motion:

“That this House under StandingOrders49 (1), grants leave to the Member for Kota Melaka, Lim Kit Siang, to introduce a Bill to be known as the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act,1975 to amend he Prevention of Corruption Act, 1961 to make it an offence for any public officer including Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries, Chief Ministers, EXCO Members, members of Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies or civil servants who have amassed property or pecuniary resources disproportionate to his known sources of income, punishable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years or to a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars or to both imprisonment and fine and to provide powers to the Government to forfeit the property or the value of the pecuniary resources acquired by the accused and to provide for the accused to prove his innocence where the accumulation of such property or pecuniary resources has been proved as a more effective legislative measure to combat and check the mounting scale of corruption in high public positions.” Continue reading Corruption

DAP lawyers instructed to take legal proceedings to stay or restrain the Elections Commission from holding Menglembu parliamentary by-election

DAP lawyers instructed to take legal proceedings to stay or restrain the Elections Commission from holding Menglembu parliamentary by-election

The writ of election issued by the Election Commission for the holding of a Menglembu Parliamentary by-election is improper, illegal, unconstitutional and unparliamentary.

Although Sdr. Fan Yew Tong has been convicted of a sedition charge in the High Court, he has given notice of appeal to the Federal Court, from where there is a further avenue of appeal to the Privy Council. Continue reading DAP lawyers instructed to take legal proceedings to stay or restrain the Elections Commission from holding Menglembu parliamentary by-election

Speech by DAP Member for Kota Melaka, Lim Kit Siang, in the Dewan Rakyat on the 1975 Supply Bill

Speech by DAP Member for Kota Melaka, Lim Kit Siang, in the Dewan Rakyat on the 1975 Supply Bill

I wish firstly to congratulate the new Finance Minister on the presentation of his first budget. He said that the Budget would be used as “an active and dynamic instrument of government’s economic, fiscal and monetary policies, so as to effectively achieve our country’s socio-economic aspirations.”

His predecessor in this final budget speech last year said that the budget was “an instrument for the attainment of the people’s aspirations for a more just and equal society. Continue reading Speech by DAP Member for Kota Melaka, Lim Kit Siang, in the Dewan Rakyat on the 1975 Supply Bill

Income tax reforms

The DAP welcomes the long overdue separate income tax assessment for working wives and the removal of the absurd arrangement whereby a married couple pays more tax than two single persons with the same earnings. We are particularly happy because this had been one of the issues in the DAP 1974General Elections Manifesto.

However, the income tax laws need a thorough overhaul if it is to serve the objective of creating a more just and equal society through a fairer distribution of wealth and income. Continue reading Income tax reforms

The Batik Curtain in Malaysia

I rise to associate myself with the Motion of Thanks to His Majesty for his Gracious Address on the official opening of the First Meeting of the First Session of the Fourth Parliament.

I wish also to congratulate your election as Speaker. I am sure that under your guidance, this Chamber will be able to fulfill it is triple tasks, firstly, to pass laws, secondly to vote monies to meet governmental expenditures and thirdly and most important of all, as the highest political forum in the country. Continue reading The Batik Curtain in Malaysia

Motion of Thank to His Majesty for this Gracious Address

Speech by DAP Member of Parliament for Kota Melaka, Lim Kit Siang, in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday, 6th November 1974 on the debate on the Motion of Thank on the Royal Address

I rise to associate myself with the Motion of Thank to His Majesty for this Gracious Address on the occasion of the official opening of the First Meeting of the First Session of the Fourth Parliament.

I wish also to congratulate your election as Speaker. I am sure that under your guidance, this Chamber will be able to fulfil its triple tasks, firstly, to pass laws, secondly to vote monies to meet governmental expenditures and thirdly, and most important of all, as the highest political forum in the country. Continue reading Motion of Thank to His Majesty for this Gracious Address

Minimum Wage Law for Workers

Since the resumption of Parliaments in February 1971 till now, one of the constant subjects my colleagues and I in the DAP have kept pressing for inside this Chamber is for the enactment of legislation to fix basic minimum wages for workers, to ensure that they and their dependents enjoy the basic human needs of food, clothing, housing and schooling.

Unfortunately, this proposal, to my knowledge, had never received the serious consideration of the government, probably for the simple reason that there is not a single Cabinet Minister who had a labour past, and who understands and sympathises with the sufferings, aspirations and hopes of the working class. Continue reading Minimum Wage Law for Workers

Hunger strike by political detainees

During the last Budget session three months ago, I had called for a Commission of Inquiry into the hunger-strike conduction by political detainees at Batu Gajah and Taiping detention camp.

At that time, we were not in position of the full facts. On February 16, 1974, thanks to the Minister of Home Affairs, I visited the Batu Gajah detention camp and met representative of the political detainees.

From the accounts which they told me about the circumstances causing the 47-day hunger by over 200 political detainees from 29th Dec. 1973 to Feb. 12, 1974, the events during the strike, I am more than convinced that there is a prima facie case warranting a commission of inquiry into allegations of physical violence and atrocities perpetrated on the detainees by warders and FRU men. Continue reading Hunger strike by political detainees

Need for a strong consumer movement, which is not a department of the Ministry of Trade and Industry

Speech by DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Bandar Melaka, Mr. Lim Kit Siang, at a Public Rally at the Esplanade, Penang on Saturday, 3rd February 1974 at 9 p.m.

1. Need for a strong consumer movement, which is not a department of the Ministry of Trade and Industry

If profiteering, hoarding and speculation, some of the main causes of inflation, are to be brought under check, a strong and effective consumer movement is necessary.

For such an effective consumer movement to develop in Malaysia, it must have firstly, ample funds to finance its programme of activities; and secondly, complete independence from control or influence from any pressure group or government. It should not become a department of the government, for then it would be impotent and ineffective. Continue reading Need for a strong consumer movement, which is not a department of the Ministry of Trade and Industry

The Malacca Hospital mass deaths

I MOVE to cut the salary of the Minister of Health by $100.

On August 22, 1973, 1 called a press conference in my Malacca office making public the unusually high number of deaths in the Malacca Hospital during July and August last year, because of the breakdown of the hospital’s autoclave, i.e. sterilisation plant, leading to blood and saline poisoning of the patients.

I called for a public inquiry into the deaths, and into the negligence and maladministration of the Malacca Hospital which made such mass deaths possible. Continue reading The Malacca Hospital mass deaths