My 60th birthday wish - A New Deal for Mother-tongue Education in  the Eighth Malaysia Plan as important national  strategy to transform Malaysia into an information society and knowledge economy


Speech at 60th birthday dinner
by Lim Kit Siang

(Petaling Jaya, Monday): I want to thank DAP leaders and members as well as like-minded Malaysians who have shared, encouraged and supported my pursuit  for more than half of my life for a Malaysian Malaysia, where there is justice, freedom, democracy and good governance for all Malaysians, regardless of race or religion.

On my 60th birthday, I have several wishes in line with our common quest for a Malaysian Malaysia.

My first wish is the success of the "Save Damansara School Campaign" to preserve the original SJK ©  Damansara to become a model community Chinese primary school for the students in the vicinity and for a new Chinese primary school in Tropicana to be built within eight months as promised by the Education Ministry.

My greatest 60th birthday wish is that there should be a New Deal for Mother-tongue Education in  the Eighth Malaysia Plan 2001-2005 as an important national  strategy to transform Malaysia into an information society and knowledge economy.

The New Deal for Mother-tongue Education should rectify the decades-old government neglect and unfair treatment of Chinese and Tamil education, and as far as Chinese schools are concerned, include the following objectives:

My 60th birthday wishes also include the following: (19/2/2001)

*Lim Kit Siang - DAP National Chairman