DAP’s historic victory in the Sarawak state general elections, winning not one but three State Assembly seats in the Sarawak state assembly, is the best proof of the continuing relevance and importance of the DAP in the hopes and aspirations, fears and dreams of the people.
This year is the 30th anniversary of the DAP. Let me state that it is definitely easier for a party in a coalition government to last for 30 years than for an Opposition to last for 30 years. Would the SUPP have lasted for 30 years if it had to be in the Opposition for this whole period? I do not know but it is a question worth pondering.
For an Opposition party to be able to last for 30 years, and continue to be relevant and important to the hopes and aspirations, fears and dreams of the people, clearly calls for very different qualities from its leaders and members.
For one, leaders of such an Opposition party must have very strong political convictions and beliefs of wanting to bring about change and betterment in the life of the people and must have the stamina for a long-term commitment to such a political goal.
Leaders in the Opposition have no “spoils of office” of those in government, whether in terms of official positions, business opportunities or titles. On the contrary, opposition leaders have to undergo great tests for standing up for the rights of the people, whether in facing victimisation like the case of DAP Deputy Secretary-General and MP for Kota Melaka, Lim Guan Eng, who is facing double charges under the Sedition Act and the Printing Presses and Publications Act which might result in his disqualification as a MP, or like the three Sarawak DAP State Assemblymen, who had to face an overwhelming Barisan Nasional majority in the State Assembly, which is not only unreasonable but even arrogant .
It is such unreasonableness and arrogance which caused one Sarawak State Minister to make remarks as advising the three Sarawak DAP Assemblymen “not to copy the political tactics adopted by your big brothers in West Malaysia”, claiming that “In Semananjung Malaysia, the DAP’s function is not to promote democracy, progress or help to advance in the welfare of the people. Their function is largely to frustrate any or every measure of the government to bring about progress.”
This Sarawak Minister not only does not know history, he does not know current affairs. When Malaysian history is written - not by Barisan Nasional propagandists but by independent and honest historians - I have no doubt that the DAP’s contribution in promoting democracy, progress and advancing the welfare of the people would be given proper recognition, and probably be placed in a more favourable position than the political party this Minister come from.
I said this Sarawak Minister does not know current affairs for two reasons: he does not realise that the DAP’s historic breakthrough in the Sarawak state general elections is the best rebuttal of his statement. Furthermore, he does not seem to have read the statement by the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed, when he was in French Guyana to witness the launch of the second MEASAT satellite on the role of the Opposition.
Although the DAP is an Opposition party, we will never oppose for the sake of opposition. It is some Barisan Nasional leaders who seem to suffer from this “oppose for the sake of opposition” disease - to oppose any and everything proposed by the DAP.
The most recent example of the positive and constructive role being played by the DAP in nation-building can be seen by the announcement made by the Youth and Sports Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin in Kuching on Thursday that his Ministry would set up a computer training centre in each of the 200 districts in the country to enhance information technology skills among youths.
He said RM10 million drawn from the Youth Economic Development Trust Fund would be used for the project. The centres would be set up to channel youth interest towards information technology besides economic activities and programmes being organised for them now.
I commend the Youth Ministers for acting so swiftly on my proposal when speaking on the 1997 Ministry of Youth budgetary estimates in Parliament the previous Thursday that the Ministry of Youth should draw up a National Youth Information Technology (IT) Plan and even set up a special IT division to help the youths of Malaysia to familiarise and master IT skills, so that they are not left behind in the digital age.
In my speech on the Ministry of Youth in Parliament on November 21, I had stressed that IT would determine whether Malaysia would have a progressive, viable and prosperous future.
As the Ministry of Youth defines “youth” as those between the ages of 18 and 40, it should realise that this is an age group which needed help in IT if they are not to be left behind in the Digital Age. However, as at present, the Youth Ministry has no plans whatsoever or even focus to help youths in Malaysia acquire and improve their IT skills.
I had suggested that computers should be made available at the National Library, State and local libraries, and various IT public centres where youths can acquire IT skills, access the Internet and appreciate the values of life-long learning values so that Malaysia can move towards an Information Society. Unfortunately, there are no such public centres where youths can have access to the Internet, as even though the National Library has such facilities, it does not allow the public to surf the Internet on their own.
I welcome the Youth Minister’s announcement of a RM10 million programme to set up a youth computer training centre in each of the 200 districts, but this is grossly inadequate and should be increased at least ten times. With an average allocation of RM50,000 for each district, how many computers can each district get under this programme, when we take into account the capital costs of building such a centre?
It is in line with the DAP’s commitment to promote democracy, progress and the advancement of the welfare of the people that tomorrow, I will move an urgent motion in Parliament calling on the government to approve the New Era College without any more delays or obstacles.
Last Thursday, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamed launched the Second Industrial Master Plan (IMP2 1996-2005) to propel Malaysia to become a fully developed industrial nation by 2020.
However, for the success of the IMP2, there are five critical elements, one of which is human resource development to enhance skills formation and skills upgrading on a continuous basis.
The refusal by the government to approve the establishment of the New Era College works against this critical element of human resource development to ensure that Malaysia can achieve fully-developed industrial nation status, and is therefore against both the spirit and objective of the IMP2.
In my urgent motion in Parliament tomorrow, I will also present four other reasons why the Cabinet should give full support for the establishment of the New Era College proposed by Dong Jiao Zong instead of creating all sorts of obstacles.
The latest excuse for not approving the New Era College, that it did not comply with the requirement of 30 per cent bumiputra equity participation, is most unreasonable, unfair and unacceptable.
This is because this requirement had never been raised before, although the application for New Era College had been submitted before the April 1995 general elections.
In fact, on Oct. 31, the Deputy Education Minister, Datuk Dr. Fong Chan Onn had publicly stated that there should be no problem in the approval of New Era College, as Dong Jiao Zong had acted on his advice and amended its application.
In any event, there is no law at present requiring that any private higher education institution must comply with the requirement of 30 per cent bumiputra equity participation - as this is not contained in the Private Higher Education Institutions Act 1996, and no regulation had been enacted under the Act.
At the ASEAN Informal Summit in Jakarta yesterday, one of the main issues was the question of Myanmar’s application to join ASEAN.
I agree with the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad that this question must be decided by the ASEAN governments themselves as they are independent sovereign nations, and not under the dictates of Western governments, as the days of imperalism are over.
However, ASEAN governments must respect ASEAN opinion which are opposed to Myanmar’s entry into ASEAN next year, for the Myanmese military junta, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), had failed to make a success of ASEAN’s “constructive engagement” policy by making perceptible and tangible progress in democratic reforms in Burma.
ASEAN governments should defer the admission of Myanmar into ASEAN at the 30th ASEAN anniversary next year, not because of the demands of the Western nations, but because of the ASEAN view that SLORC must make substantive progress in embarking on a meaningful dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi and other pro-democracy leaders to achieve democratisation and national reconciliation.
In this connection, a Malaysian Parliamentary Mission should visit Myanmar to report on the progress of democratisation in Burma as well as to make recommendations on the timing of Myanmar’s entry into ASEAN.
The New Era College and the issue of democracy of Burma are examples of the DAP’s continuing efforts to promote democracy, progress and welfare of the people, whether inside or outside Malaysia. But those who had falsely alleged that the DAP is not interested in democracy, progress or the welfare of the people had never shown any interest in these or other issues, affecting the democratic rights and welfare of the people.
(1/12/96)