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DAP to lobby Cabinet and Penang State Exco to decide at their next meeting on Wednesday to officially recognize the fourth International Mother Language Day which falls on Friday, February 21 Media Statement by Lim Kit Siang (Penang,  Sunday): DAP will lobby the Cabinet and the Penang State Exco to decide at their next meeting on Wednesday to officially recognize the fourth International Mother Language Day (IMLD) which falls on Friday, February 21. It might be too late for the Federal and Penang State Governments to organize a full-scale programme to celebrate the International Mother Language Day this year on Friday, but a modest but meaningful commemoration programme is still feasible. In any event, the official recognition by the Federal and Penang State Governments, although four years after its proclamation in 1999, is better late than never and could be regarded as a celebration of sorts. In order to lobby the Cabinet and Penang State Exco to take the decision at their next meeting on Wednesday to formally recognize the IMLD, DAP will email all the Cabinet Ministers and Penang State Exco members tomorrow, presenting a case for such a Cabinet and Penang State Exco decision, giving the background for the proclamation of Feb. 21 as the International Mother Language Day by UNESCO in 1999 and why the Malaysian and Penang State Governments should be in the very forefront to commemorate the IMLD. Malaysia and Penang are the home of several mother-tongues, making them the most ideal places where the IMLD should be celebrated with the greatest vigour and meaning. In fact, the question Malaysians and Penangites should be asking is why the IMLD had been ignored and neglected by the national and state governments in the past three years, especially when Malaysia was one of the 28 countries which seconded the proposal adopted by UNESCO in 1999 to declare Feb. 21 as the IMLD. Should the Cabinet and the Penang State Exco formally recognize the IMLD, at the very least, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohamad and and the Penang Chief Minister, Tan Sri Dr. Koh Tsu Koon should issue their respective International Mother Language Day Message to mark the fourth IMLD on Friday. In fact, there is no reason why the Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) cannot be the first municipal or city council in the country to accord formal recognition to and celebrate the IMLD - which could be turned into a boost for the declining tourism in Penang. The Penang State Exco at its meeting on Wednesday should also direct the MPPP and MPSP to be the first two municipal councils in the country to recognize - and organize programmes to mark - the IMLD as well. (16/2/2003) * Lim Kit Siang, DAP National Chairman