The 1957 “Merdeka” Malaysian Constitution As The New Force Of National Unity

Opening Speech

During The DAPSY National Congress At The Crystal Crown Hotel
by Lim Guan Eng  

(Petaling Jaya, Sunday): I thank DAPSY for inviting me to my first DAPSY National since I resigned as DAPSY National Chair behind the Kajang prison bars in 1998. As the only DAP Secretary-General who was DAPSY National Chair, I take pride in DAPSY’s ability to attract young and talented members to assist the party’s goal of a Malaysian Malaysia social democracy. More needs to be done.

Even though DAPSY is the only political movement in the country that uses the word socialist, DAP is a party of ideas and ideals but not of outdated ideology. The objectives may be radical but the means are modern. That is why DAPSY’s motto is, “Dare to struggle; dare to win!” More importantly they work.

They work because DAP’s ideals and principles of social justice, equal opportunities, freedom, transparency and democracy remain relevant to Malaysians. They work because Malaysians have faith in DAP leaders’ commitment at great personal sacrifices to achieve good governance, a fairer and more trustworthy society. They work because Malaysian Malaysia means we are Malaysians first and Malays, Chinese or Indians second.

We now face a new challenge of 5 million young Malaysians between the age of 15-24 or 19% of the population who will be our next generation of new voters. Together with another 5.8 million Malaysians or 22.4% of the population between the age group 25-39, this combined block of young voters between 15-39 years of 10.8 million Malaysians (more than 42%) will determine victory and defeat in the next general elections due in 2009.

We need to be seen to stand together with this important block of young voters male and female by empowering them with better choices in the form:
 

·       Better Access To Power And Responsibilities;

·       Better Education;

·       Better Employment and Economic Opportunities; and

·       Gender teaching to male teenagers to respect females to reduce violence against children and  women.

I believe that these 4 choices are top of their list, especially their exclusion from access to power. The time has come to impose an age limit to prevent old men from continuing to lead youth organizations.

The time has come to put more money into education to improve quality and widen availability to all.

The time has also come to upgrade education, employment and economic opportunities so that the individual can harness his full human potential and society maximizes human resources. As the Chinese saying goes, “It takes 10 years to plant a tree, but 100 years to educate a man.”

Another aspect that requires attention is the introduction of gender teaching to teach boys from a young age to respect and honour women. Such teaching in schools will help to reduce the increasing violence against women and children in our society.

To make DAP’s values relevant again to the 10.8 million young Malaysians, we may have to reinvent our message. A new message of unity which is inclusive and resonates with the independence of our country. A new message of progress which gives hope to our future that is better, more prosperous and fulfilling spiritually and morally.

The 1957 Malaysian Constitution that fathered our country is a secular document imbued with the ideals of democracy, rule of law, justice, freedom and human dignity. It is the supreme law of the land which respects democratic values that gives every Malaysian citizen equal and equitable rights. 

There was democracy then and the right to elect their representatives at all levels, including local government elections that are now still banned. There was respect for basic human rights such as no ISA and no detention without trial. Freedom of speech and assembly and freedom of religion existed.

Even elections were fairly conducted as shown by the constituency delineation exercise where only a maximum of disparity of 15% from the size of the average constituency is allowed. This compares to the present undemocratic situation where there are no such restrictions on the scope of disparity between electoral constituencies. In other words one constituency can have 10 times more voters than the other.

As the original Merdeka Constitution is widely accepted by all Malaysians, it can be the new force of unity. By reverting to the original Merdeka Constitution, Malaysians can move forward where democracy and economic development go together; where freedom does not mean oppression; where equality of opportunity is preferred to equality of outcome; where rule of law ensures social justice; and where spreading economic prosperity does not breed rampant corruption.

Like all man-made laws, the 1957 Merdeka Constitution is not perfect. Some may see it as a radical departure from our traditional approach. But if they can work or at least gives us the hope to unite all Malaysians regardless of race and religion, then the challenge is worth the risks involved. Perhaps all of you can discuss this today and present your views.

Let me therefore conclude by wishing all of you a good Congress and discussions in a comradely manner to push DAPSY forward. Let a hundred flowers bloom and a hundred schools contend.

(03/07/2005)