diff --git a/runtime/syntax/matlab.vim b/runtime/syntax/matlab.vim
index 9cc2be8..92ffbbc 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/matlab.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/matlab.vim
@@ -74,40 +74,38 @@
 
 " Define the default highlighting.
 " Only when an item doesn't have highlighting yet
-command -nargs=+ HiLink hi def link <args>
 
-HiLink matlabTransposeOperator	matlabOperator
-HiLink matlabOperator			Operator
-HiLink matlabLineContinuation		Special
-HiLink matlabLabel			Label
-HiLink matlabConditional		Conditional
-HiLink matlabExceptions		Conditional
-HiLink matlabRepeat			Repeat
-HiLink matlabTodo			Todo
-HiLink matlabString			String
-HiLink matlabDelimiter		Identifier
-HiLink matlabTransposeOther		Identifier
-HiLink matlabNumber			Number
-HiLink matlabFloat			Float
-HiLink matlabFunction			Function
-HiLink matlabError			Error
-HiLink matlabImplicit			matlabStatement
-HiLink matlabStatement		Statement
-HiLink matlabOO			Statement
-HiLink matlabSemicolon		SpecialChar
-HiLink matlabComment			Comment
-HiLink matlabMultilineComment		Comment
-HiLink matlabScope			Type
+hi def link matlabTransposeOperator	matlabOperator
+hi def link matlabOperator			Operator
+hi def link matlabLineContinuation		Special
+hi def link matlabLabel			Label
+hi def link matlabConditional		Conditional
+hi def link matlabExceptions		Conditional
+hi def link matlabRepeat			Repeat
+hi def link matlabTodo			Todo
+hi def link matlabString			String
+hi def link matlabDelimiter		Identifier
+hi def link matlabTransposeOther		Identifier
+hi def link matlabNumber			Number
+hi def link matlabFloat			Float
+hi def link matlabFunction			Function
+hi def link matlabError			Error
+hi def link matlabImplicit			matlabStatement
+hi def link matlabStatement		Statement
+hi def link matlabOO			Statement
+hi def link matlabSemicolon		SpecialChar
+hi def link matlabComment			Comment
+hi def link matlabMultilineComment		Comment
+hi def link matlabScope			Type
 
-HiLink matlabArithmeticOperator	matlabOperator
-HiLink matlabRelationalOperator	matlabOperator
-HiLink matlabLogicalOperator		matlabOperator
+hi def link matlabArithmeticOperator	matlabOperator
+hi def link matlabRelationalOperator	matlabOperator
+hi def link matlabLogicalOperator		matlabOperator
 
 "optional highlighting
-"HiLink matlabIdentifier		Identifier
-"HiLink matlabTab			Error
+"hi def link matlabIdentifier		Identifier
+"hi def link matlabTab			Error
 
-delcommand HiLink
 
 let b:current_syntax = "matlab"