The Setapak Declaration

This is the first part of this document which have been guiding principal for DAP since its birth. And many of its point is still relavant to Malaysia today. Other parts will be posted in stages

At the First Party Congress held in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, on 29th July, 1967, the following declaration known as The Setapak Declaration containing the basic guiding policies and principles of the party was adopted. This Declaration is reproduced for record purpose only.

Introduction

WE, the Chairman and Members of the Central Executive Committee of the Democratic Action Party together with Members of Branch Committees of the Party, here assembled at Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, on 29th July, 1967, hereby re-state and reaffirm the basic guiding policy and principles of the Democratic Action Party, as given hereunder.

We firmly resolve to continue to be governed in all our activities and in all our approaches to the social, political, economic and cultural problems in Malaysia, by the same basic guiding policy and principles.

Objectives

The D.A.P. is irrevocably committed to the ideal of a free, democratic and socialist Malaysia, based on the principles of racial equality, and social and economic justice, and founded on the institutions of parliamentary democracy.

We believe that it is possible to mobilise the support of the big majority of the multi-racial people of Malaysia in the pursuit of this aim, and we shall regard it as our primary objective to mobilise such support.

We are aware that in the pursuit of our aims, we shall meet with serious resistance, not only from the Alliance Party and Government, but also from political forces hostile to the Malaysian nation and inspired by foreign powers and ideologies.

We reaffirm that the D.A.P. intends to be guided by purely Malaysian perspectives and aspirations. We shall not allow ourselves to be deflected from our chosen path by either the reactionary and communal right wing, or by the foreign-inspired anti-Malaysia left. Neither shall we lend ourselves to manipulation by either of these two groups.

In order to achieve our primary objective, the most vital condition must be success in the process of nation-building in a multi-racial society. But it is precisely in the vital process of nation-building that the Alliance Government has been guilty of a gross and shameful betrayal of national trust.