diff --git a/runtime/syntax/po.vim b/runtime/syntax/po.vim
index f98813c..15d09b1 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/po.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/po.vim
@@ -80,52 +80,50 @@
 
 " Define the default highlighting.
 " Only when an item doesn't have highlighting yet
-command -nargs=+ HiLink hi def link <args>
 
-HiLink poCommentSources    PreProc
-HiLink poComment	     Comment
-HiLink poCommentAutomatic  Comment
-HiLink poCommentTranslator Comment
-HiLink poCommentFlags      Special
-HiLink poCommentDiff       Comment
-HiLink poCopyrightUnset    Todo
-HiLink poFlagFuzzy         Todo
-HiLink poDiffOld           Todo
-HiLink poDiffNew          Special
-HiLink poObsolete         Comment
+hi def link poCommentSources    PreProc
+hi def link poComment	     Comment
+hi def link poCommentAutomatic  Comment
+hi def link poCommentTranslator Comment
+hi def link poCommentFlags      Special
+hi def link poCommentDiff       Comment
+hi def link poCopyrightUnset    Todo
+hi def link poFlagFuzzy         Todo
+hi def link poDiffOld           Todo
+hi def link poDiffNew          Special
+hi def link poObsolete         Comment
 
-HiLink poStatementMsgid   Statement
-HiLink poStatementMsgstr  Statement
-HiLink poStatementMsgidplural  Statement
-HiLink poStatementMsgCTxt Statement
-HiLink poPluralCaseN      Constant
+hi def link poStatementMsgid   Statement
+hi def link poStatementMsgstr  Statement
+hi def link poStatementMsgidplural  Statement
+hi def link poStatementMsgCTxt Statement
+hi def link poPluralCaseN      Constant
 
-HiLink poStringCTxt	    Comment
-HiLink poStringID	    String
-HiLink poStringSTR	    String
-HiLink poCommentKDE       Comment
-HiLink poCommentKDEError  Error
-HiLink poPluralKDE        Comment
-HiLink poPluralKDEError   Error
-HiLink poHeaderItem       Identifier
-HiLink poHeaderUndefined  Todo
-HiLink poKDEdesktopFile   Identifier
+hi def link poStringCTxt	    Comment
+hi def link poStringID	    String
+hi def link poStringSTR	    String
+hi def link poCommentKDE       Comment
+hi def link poCommentKDEError  Error
+hi def link poPluralKDE        Comment
+hi def link poPluralKDEError   Error
+hi def link poHeaderItem       Identifier
+hi def link poHeaderUndefined  Todo
+hi def link poKDEdesktopFile   Identifier
 
-HiLink poHtml              Identifier
-HiLink poHtmlNot           String
-HiLink poHtmlTranslatables String
-HiLink poLineBreak         String
+hi def link poHtml              Identifier
+hi def link poHtmlNot           String
+hi def link poHtmlTranslatables String
+hi def link poLineBreak         String
 
-HiLink poFormat	    poSpecial
-HiLink poSpecial	    Special
-HiLink poAcceleratorId    Special
-HiLink poAcceleratorStr   Special
-HiLink poVariable         Special
+hi def link poFormat	    poSpecial
+hi def link poSpecial	    Special
+hi def link poAcceleratorId    Special
+hi def link poAcceleratorStr   Special
+hi def link poVariable         Special
 
-HiLink poMsguniqError        Special
-HiLink poMsguniqErrorMarkers Comment
+hi def link poMsguniqError        Special
+hi def link poMsguniqErrorMarkers Comment
 
-delcommand HiLink
 
 let b:current_syntax = "po"