Salient. Official Newspaper of Victoria University of Wellington Students Association. Vol 40 No. 6. April 4 1977
More Malaysian Letters
More Malaysian Letters.
Dear Editor,
I wish to thank the W.M.S.S.A. for organising the 'Get Together' on the 20th March.
I really enjoyed the evening in meeting many of our fellow Malaysians and Singaporeans. The warm atmosphere together with the friendly 'chit-chatting' and 'group singing' made me feel like at home.
Lastly I wish to congratulate the W.M.S.S.A. for their success in organising the 'Get Together' and I hope more activities will be organised in the near future.
Yours etc.,
New Student.
Dear Editor,
After reading through the letters about the Malaysian sketch put up during the international night, I felt that most of the comments made were right to the point and justified. I say so, because I had the same feeling too on that night.
However I kept the feeling to myself which I now realise was an incorrect attitude to hold. For, if every Malaysian takes the 'keep quiet' attitude, knowing quite well that other members of the audience (especially the Kiwis) of the International night would be misled by the scene, what would happen then? The answer might be: "the misunderstanding between the Kiwis and Malaysians will become greater." Is that what we Malaysians wish to promote? No, of course not! That is the reason why I decided to pick up my pen and end my wrong attitude.
A Malaysian.
Dear Editor,
I have read the letters published in your last Salient on the 'hot topic' about the sketch and found these letters very touching and educational
I felt very guilty for I was also one of the fools who laughed during the sketch which was being falsely and purposely prtrayed as laughing stock.
As a first year student, I do not know why MSA purposely gives such a stupid and misleading picture during that important function. This might not only mislead the Malaysian students, but also the kiwis as well.
Yours etc.,
A Malaysian.
Dear Sir,
I joined the others in condemning MSA for [ unclear: puttii] putting up the recent sketch. I am indeed hurt and at the same time sad to think that there is such a group of unthinking, senseless students around playing down on our own people. To this group of people I and also a group of other Malaysian students here consider you a pain in our neck. We think that our country doesn't need people like you around because you will be perpetuating the system that we are ashamed of and which we want to get rid of.
1. | You will always be putting yourself as a high class of 'learned' intellectuals and those hawkers will look like dirt beside you. |
2. | You will look like a bunch of clean hand idiots (doing no crimes) while the hawkers will be seizing the opportunity to exploit your so-called high class of the society sponging on the few cents that you throw to them. Remember that your crimes are far greater because you have forgotten how you came to gain a higher education and have forgotten that your role as a privileged group is to understand them and to do something concrete to help them. |
So I hope that all those in MSA (even if it hurts your 'pride' and 'dignity') will be socially aware of the problems back home and break away from your ivory tower of big houses, car and what-nots when you go home!
I also want to put forward another point and that regards calling yourself MSA. If you want to use this grand name do you really represent our students' interests and dare take up important political issues as they come up. If you find that you can't do that you might well call yourself the Malaysian Students Social Club which I think is more appropriate and more suited to your role.
A Malaysian Student.
Dear Editor,
I am a first year student and have just come from a very political country a month ago. I was than invited to join the 'non-political' party (as it is called by the MSA), I attended a 'non political' orientation and saw a 'non-political' sketch that was put up by the 'non-political' party. Later I read about the 'non-political' criticisms of the sketch (because I can't find such a word 'politic' in their criticisms) and yet the replies to those criticisms seem to be 'political'. May I ask those 'non-politicians', what is their definition of 'non-politic'?
A first year student (major in 'non-political science).
Dear Editor,
As I read last week's Salient (Vol. 40 No. 4) about the comments put by fellow Malaysian students I can picture what MSA will be saying: "It's only an entertaining piece of sketch not aimed at anybody and so what the hell are they kicking up the fuss for??"
Excuses, excuses; these will be the common words words of the MSA. To this group of egotistic people, they will never admit they are wrong and have done a very great injustice to our Malaysian people (in this case the hawkers) So next time those in MSA when you are back home, go and live with those poor people and then you will see with your naked eyes how these hawkers struggled to lead an honest living. Then you will realise that the distorted view painted of our hawkers is an Unforgivable thing.
If you can't do anything for them (even though you believe in your great capacity to earn great money later on) then at least don't belittle their efforts to strive for a living. They are earning this type of living not because they want to but because circumstances force them to.
So I join hands with A Malaysian Hawker's Son in demanding a public apology from the promoters of the sketch.
Malaysian.