§ Mr. Allen McKay (Penistone)With your permission, Mr. Speaker, and that of the House, I wish to present a petition from the Rev. Anthony Attwood, vicar of Holy Trinity church, Elsecar, in the diocese of Sheffield, which is in my constituency, his wife Denise Attwood, his parishioners and many others, who seek leave, in accordance with the practices and principles of our proceedings and precedents, in connection with the deep distress they feel to hear of the plan of the Malaysian Government to abandon 766 large numbers of Vietnamese refugees and leave them to perish at sea.
§ The petition is not a long one. It says:
§ To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Parliament assembled.
§ The Humble Petition of the parishioners of Holy Trinity, Elsecar, sheweth:
- 1. That the Government of Malaysia is planning to abandon large numbers of Vietnamese refugees at sea, thereby leaving them to die.
- 2. This plan has terrifying precedents of recent and earlier times.
- 3. The only justification is Malaysia's inability to cope with the problem, and all Governments should be urged to offer Malaysia help on this.
§ Wherefore your Petitioners humbly pray that your Honourable House will
- 1. Urge the Prime Minister to initiate an international conference on the relief of the plight of these refugees as soon as possible.
- 2. Urge the abandonment of Malaysia's policy at least until after such a conference has been given the opportunity to co-ordinate an international response to the problems, thus avoiding the unspeakable crime against humanity being proposed by the Malaysian Government.
- 3. Legislate to introduce sanctions against Malaysia if this plan is not abandoned, and to do all in your power to encourage other Governments of the world to do likewise.
§ Wherefore your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc.
§ To lie upon the Table.