diff --git a/runtime/syntax/rexx.vim b/runtime/syntax/rexx.vim
index b22af93..360fc8f 100644
--- a/runtime/syntax/rexx.vim
+++ b/runtime/syntax/rexx.vim
@@ -242,78 +242,76 @@
 
 " Define the default highlighting.
 " Only when an item doesn't have highlighting yet
-command -nargs=+ HiLink hi def link <args>
 
 " make binary and hex strings stand out
 hi rexxStringConstant term=bold,underline ctermfg=5 cterm=bold guifg=darkMagenta gui=bold
 
-HiLink rexxLabel2		Function
-HiLink doLoopSelectLabelRegion	rexxKeyword
-HiLink endIterateLeaveLabelRegion	rexxKeyword
-HiLink rexxLoopKeywords	rexxKeyword " Todo
+hi def link rexxLabel2		Function
+hi def link doLoopSelectLabelRegion	rexxKeyword
+hi def link endIterateLeaveLabelRegion	rexxKeyword
+hi def link rexxLoopKeywords	rexxKeyword " Todo
 
-HiLink rexxNumber		Normal "DiffChange
-"  HiLink rexxIdentifier		DiffChange
+hi def link rexxNumber		Normal "DiffChange
+"  hi def link rexxIdentifier		DiffChange
 
-HiLink rexxRegularCallSignal	Statement
-HiLink rexxExceptionHandling	Statement
+hi def link rexxRegularCallSignal	Statement
+hi def link rexxExceptionHandling	Statement
 
-HiLink rexxLabel		Function
-HiLink rexxCharacter		Character
-HiLink rexxParenError		rexxError
-HiLink rexxInParen		rexxError
-HiLink rexxCommentError	rexxError
-HiLink rexxError		Error
-HiLink rexxKeyword		Statement
-HiLink rexxKeywordStatements	Statement
+hi def link rexxLabel		Function
+hi def link rexxCharacter		Character
+hi def link rexxParenError		rexxError
+hi def link rexxInParen		rexxError
+hi def link rexxCommentError	rexxError
+hi def link rexxError		Error
+hi def link rexxKeyword		Statement
+hi def link rexxKeywordStatements	Statement
 
-HiLink rexxFunction		Function
-HiLink rexxString		String
-HiLink rexxComment		Comment
-HiLink rexxTodo		Todo
-HiLink rexxSpecialVariable	Special
-HiLink rexxConditional	rexxKeyword
+hi def link rexxFunction		Function
+hi def link rexxString		String
+hi def link rexxComment		Comment
+hi def link rexxTodo		Todo
+hi def link rexxSpecialVariable	Special
+hi def link rexxConditional	rexxKeyword
 
-HiLink rexxOperator		Operator
-HiLink rexxMessageOperator	rexxOperator
-HiLink rexxLineComment	Comment
+hi def link rexxOperator		Operator
+hi def link rexxMessageOperator	rexxOperator
+hi def link rexxLineComment	Comment
 
-HiLink rexxLineContinue	WildMenu
+hi def link rexxLineContinue	WildMenu
 
-HiLink rexxDirective		rexxKeyword
-HiLink rexxClassDirective	Type
-HiLink rexxMethodDirective	rexxFunction
-HiLink rexxAttributeDirective	rexxFunction
-HiLink rexxRequiresDirective	Include
-HiLink rexxRoutineDirective	rexxFunction
+hi def link rexxDirective		rexxKeyword
+hi def link rexxClassDirective	Type
+hi def link rexxMethodDirective	rexxFunction
+hi def link rexxAttributeDirective	rexxFunction
+hi def link rexxRequiresDirective	Include
+hi def link rexxRoutineDirective	rexxFunction
 
 " rgf, 2012-09-09
-HiLink rexxOptionsDirective	rexxFunction
-HiLink rexxOptionsDirective2  rexxOptionsDirective
-HiLink rexxOptionsDirective3  Normal " rexxOptionsDirective
+hi def link rexxOptionsDirective	rexxFunction
+hi def link rexxOptionsDirective2  rexxOptionsDirective
+hi def link rexxOptionsDirective3  Normal " rexxOptionsDirective
 
-HiLink rexxConstantDirective	rexxFunction
+hi def link rexxConstantDirective	rexxFunction
 
-HiLink rexxConst		Constant
-HiLink rexxTypeSpecifier	Type
-HiLink rexxBuiltinClass	rexxTypeSpecifier
+hi def link rexxConst		Constant
+hi def link rexxTypeSpecifier	Type
+hi def link rexxBuiltinClass	rexxTypeSpecifier
 
-HiLink rexxEnvironmentSymbol  rexxConst
-HiLink rexxMessage		rexxFunction
+hi def link rexxEnvironmentSymbol  rexxConst
+hi def link rexxMessage		rexxFunction
 
-HiLink rexxParse              rexxKeyword
-HiLink rexxParse2             rexxParse
+hi def link rexxParse              rexxKeyword
+hi def link rexxParse2             rexxParse
 
-HiLink rexxGuard              rexxKeyword
-HiLink rexxTrace              rexxKeyword
+hi def link rexxGuard              rexxKeyword
+hi def link rexxTrace              rexxKeyword
 
-HiLink rexxRaise              rexxKeyword
-HiLink rexxRaise2             rexxRaise
+hi def link rexxRaise              rexxKeyword
+hi def link rexxRaise2             rexxRaise
 
-HiLink rexxForward            rexxKeyword
-HiLink rexxForward2           rexxForward
+hi def link rexxForward            rexxKeyword
+hi def link rexxForward2           rexxForward
 
-delcommand HiLink
 
 let b:current_syntax = "rexx"