Category: Poverty

Call on the Government to present an annual plan as to how the $1 billion that would be saved from the withdrawal of perks to Rulers not laid down by law would directly benefit the 300,000 hard-core poor in the country

Speech by Parliamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjong, Lim Kit Siang, in the debate on the 1993 Constitution Amendment Bill on its return to the Dewan Rakyat on Monday, 8th March 1993

Call on the Government to present an annual plan as to how the $1 billion that would be saved from the withdrawal of perks to Rulers not laid down by law would directly benefit the 300,000 hard-core poor in the country

When the 1993 Constitution Amendment Bill to remove the Rulers’ immunity was presented to Parliament at its special sitting in January, the DAP made clear that we fully support the following three principles on the question of royal wrongdoing: Continue reading Call on the Government to present an annual plan as to how the $1 billion that would be saved from the withdrawal of perks to Rulers not laid down by law would directly benefit the 300,000 hard-core poor in the country

DAP calls on Anwar Ibrahim to uphold Vision 2020 by extending the $500 million revolving fund for investments to all the 142,000 hard-core poor households and not just to 100,000 hard-core poor bumiputra households

by Pariiamentary Opposition Leader, DAP Secretary-General and MP for Tanjung, Lim Kit Siang, in Penang on Sunday, March 22, 1992:

DAP calls on Anwar Ibrahim to uphold Vision 2020 by extending the $500 million revolving fund for investments to all the 142,000 hard-core poor households and not just to 100,000 hard-core poor bumiputra households.

The DAP is most disappointed the Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, is not extending the $500 million revolving fund to give interest-free loans for investments to all the hardcore poor regardless of race. Continue reading DAP calls on Anwar Ibrahim to uphold Vision 2020 by extending the $500 million revolving fund for investments to all the 142,000 hard-core poor households and not just to 100,000 hard-core poor bumiputra households

Kampong Bercham – Police Brutality Against Squatters

Yesterday was a day of shame for Malaysia, for over a thousand anti-riot police, fully armed with tear gas canisters, wicker and baton, and rifles and Field Force personnel with sub-machine guns were mobilised against 500 squatters, including the old, sick, women and children, as if they were criminals, terrorists or dangerous animals without human rights when all they were seeking was to defend their human right to have a home.

Tear gas were fired indiscriminately against the old, sick, women and children, while the womenfolk were manhandled and forcibly evicted from their homes. Continue reading Kampong Bercham – Police Brutality Against Squatters

The Puchong mind landslide

(Speech by the Parliamentary Leader, DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Petaling, Lim Kit Siang, in the Dewan Rakyat on March 26, 1981 when adjourning the Dewan Rakyat on ‘a matter of urgent, definite, public importance’ ie to debate the Kampong Kandan Mining landslide disaster where 20 people were buried alive and about 75 houses destroyed)

I stand up to move the adjournment of the House to discuss a matter of definite, urgent, public importance, namely the mining landslide disaster at Kampong Kandan at 8½ mile, Jalan Puchong, Kuala Lumpur, where at least 20 people, including children, have been buried alive together with the collapse of about 10 houses, involving the destruction of a further 65 houses in the adjoining areas, making it one of the worst mining disaster in the country.

The Kampong Kandan mining disaster is not a natural disaster, but a man-made disaster. It is apparent that there has been negligence in many quarters involving the mining company, Capitol Mining Sdn. Bhd., the Mining Department and even the State Government of Selangor. Continue reading The Puchong mind landslide

Racial polarisation

(Speech by the Parliamentary Leader, DAP Secretary-General and Member of Parliament for Petaling, Lim Kit Siang, in the Dewan Rakyat during the debate on the Royal Address on October 13, 1978)

His Majesty, in his Royal Address, called upon the people of all ethnic origins to join hands in support of the noble efforts of the Prime Minister in his task of forging a sense of solidarity among Malaysians. As the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong said: “Emphasis on ethnic, religious, cultural and political differences should not be done on such a scale as to destroy national unity. The spirit of tolerance should continuously be maintained.”

Unfortunately, His Majesty’s advice has not been heeded by Hon’ble Members in this House itself during the debates of the past few days. We hear the voices of intolerance, of rejection that Malaysia is a multi-racial society; we hear voices of extremism and racialism, completely insensitive to the legitimate hopes and aspirations of the various communities in the country. Continue reading Racial polarisation

The 1976 Budget – The Weakened Ringgit

The 1976 Budget presented by the Finance Minister last Thursday and the accompanying Treasury/ Economic Report 1975-1976 raised many big questions about the health and future of the Malaysian economy, like the weakened Ringgit, the poor economic performance of the country, mounting unemployment, continued high rate of inflation, rising public debts, the new tax proposals, and the failure to make any appreciable progress to eliminate poverty and redress economic imbalances between the haves and the have-notes.

I shall deal with these various issues. Continue reading The 1976 Budget – The Weakened Ringgit