[unclear: M]alaysian Students Forbidden [unclear: to] Talk Politics

Most of the New Zealanders find it hard to understand that why most of the Malaysian [unclear: dents] are passive to the political affairs. They [unclear: dom] take part in any activitites such as dem[unclear: ons] against the Vietnam War, etc. They [unclear: fen] bother to ask why there are MSSA [unclear: MSA] both in a same varsity, each trying [unclear: a] claim to represent the Malaysian students.

To understand this, the New Zealanders [unclear: most] understand that we do not have the same [unclear: edomm] as you Kiwi students have in NZ. Right [unclear: fom] primary school to secondary/high school, we are told that: "Students are not allowed to talk about politic!" Politics are for the poll We are reminded time and time that the task of the students is so study and nothing else. Why keep politics away? Because there are "professional teachers" and "professional students" who go around the schools/universities to collect information of those who criticize the government. If a teacher or students gave some bad comments on the government, then his name will be in the Black List and he will be in great trouble so will be the school. The "security laws" in our country are the most powerful laws in the world. With these "security laws" in hands, they can arrest any one and put into political prison without trial. For how long? God knows!

The New Zealanders may ask now that you are in NZ, you can do what you like, can't you? The answer is no! We are still under the constant "watch" through some of the Malaysian students in Victoria University. Most of the Malaysian students know this damned fact. As can be seen from the recent allegations by the Malaysian High Commissioner, Mr De Silva, on the "Eastern Cultural Concert". This shows us clearly that he, the representative of Malaysian Government can't even tolerate such an entertaining concert, not to mention any political studies, as he told the interviewer in the radio programme "Checkpoint" on last Tuesday night.

Mr De Silva's intimidation on the members of the cast of "Eastern Cultural Concert" is not a surprising move to most of the Malaysian students. When I walked out of the Memorial Theatre after the concert, I had the same question as my Malaysian flatmates had in their minds: "Won't they get into trouble if the High Com knows of it?" I'm greatly moved by the courage and the determination of the students who put on such a concert. I pay great respect to them! For those who smear the "Eastern Cultural Concert", they are just cowards without conscience.

For my awn protection, I remain anonymous.

A Malaysian CP Student