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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Vol 35 no. 17. 19th July 1972

Attack On Mssa And Msa

page 4

Attack On Mssa And Msa

I am a Malaysian student who has been studying in this varsity for nearly two years. I do not belong to any of the two existing so-called Malaysian Students represtatives, MSA and MSSA which have less than half of the total Malaysian students as their members.

During these two years, I had observed that both MSA and MSSA failed badly as the bodies to take care of our fellow students' affairs, academically and socially; and to bring together, various Malaysian groups (of different interests, politically and socially etc) to work for better friendship among ourselves, and to our hosts. New Zealanders.

Lack of support to the associations does not imply that the majority of Malaysian are either inactive or independent. In fact, most of us need help occasionally, and are just too willing to lend our hands when needed. But, unfortunately, the associations have lost the confidence of fellow Malaysians as bodies to seek for help, they are more well-known as "happen-in", concert promoters ...what's next?

Just who are running the shows of these two associations? In my opinion, which reflects many others, they are a group of selfish power-sucking fascists who achieve nothing except for themselves. (I apologise to a few who are not) They monopolise the assciations without taking into consideration all the Malaysian students as a whole. There never has been a time when they have put forward 'somethings for everyone'. A few dances a year merely serve as their own games to show their existences, are poorly attended by fellow students even though relatively better advertised than any other programmes.

So far, these self-claimed representatives have been left to play their monopolies. But, I have become sick of their using of Malaysian titles to achieve their interests. I have little means to destroy these small but strong dictatorships, and I wouldn't like to further split Malaysian unity by forming a party. However, I have a few words for the sick committees of MSA and MSSA. If you fellows want to play leading roles in the Malaysian students' affairs, you better have a good wash-up or else piss off..

An ideal overseas' students' association is one that binds together all our fellow students and extends our friendship to all sectors of the New Zealand community. The association must reach out to the students and concern themselves with their differences, for instance. Programs planned must aim for students as a whole and take into account the various students' interests. Above all, a student leader must have faith in his cause, always try to see things from the side of the people he is trying to lead and put his responsibility above his own concerns.

Finally, for the sakes of Malaysian students future, I challenge the present 'leaders' of both ineffective MSA and MSSA to abdicate their positions, and a well-organised association to be formed under a democratic election. This is what most Malaysians would like to see, and whether it will come true depends on the willingness of the monopolists to test their forces.

Well, fellow Malaysians, speak out for our rights and get rid of the parasites in our small society. Berjaya!

TET.