Malaysian Students Oppose Handling of Racial Question

An ad hoc committee of interested students which was formed after the publication of statements from Malaysian "student leaders" advocating an "apartheid-style" Malaysia, has had its second meeting.

A letter received from the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the report as published in the "Dominion" did not include a "very significant portion" of the original Reuters report from Kuala Lumpur.

This section "quoted a Government spokesman as saying that the views expressed (by the self-styled student leaders) were irresponsible and did not represent the views the majority of the student community."

The letter said the National Unon of Muslim Students, the National Union of Malaysian students and the Mara Institute Students Union had "categorically denied association with the views expressed by the self-styled leaders who obviously represented no-one but themselves."

The reply "clarified" the inquiries the committee made about the statements said the chairman Mr H. T. Lee.

The purpose of the committee "is to act as a student action group for the promotion of a Multi-Racial Government in Malaysia, and the safeguarding of the fundamental rights of all citizens of Malaysia."

Connections have been made to student groups within the country and overseas.

"We hope that an organisation such as ours has been formed, or will be formed in your centre as soon as possible," their letters said.

Mr. Lee made it clear that the committee was concerned with more than one issue. Two morions passed at the meeting illustrated the wide area of responsibility of the committee.

"We believe in the principle of Parliamentary rule in Malaysia.

"We therefore call upon the Government of Malaysia to release all the political detainees immediately and to resume the suspended elections both in Sabah and Sarawak immediately, so as to enable the Malaysian Parliament to be resumed.

The second motion related to a demonstration which was held on the campus of the University of Malaya.

A Dominion report (28 August) said the protest began at a "speakers corner", a place on the campus reserved for free speech.

"It was the first time that any one could remember riot police breaking up students demonstrating peacefully on their own campus in Malaysia," the report said.

The committee reaffirmed their belief in the principle of free speech at the "speaker's corner" at the University.

"We therefore deplore the unconstitutional actions taken by the police in entering the campus (without the authority of the Vice Chancellor) and for the arrest of the President of the UMSU and three other student leaders.

"We strongly demand the assurance that such unwarranted actions will not be repeated," the motion said.

International Affairs Officer John Eade said that it was "valuable" that the Malaysian students themselves had initiated this protest.

"This is something we should foster, not just among Malaysians but among all overseas student groups.

"They have been sticking their necks out for a principle.

John said there was some possibility that scholarships could be withdrawn if a student proved an embarrassment to his government.

But the External Affairs Department had given a "verbal assurance" that no student would be sent home unless he criticised the New Zealand Government.