Other formats

    Adobe Portable Document Format file (facsimile images)   TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 36, Number 23. 23rd September 1973

Malaysia and Hee Kiang

Malaysia and Hee Kiang

Dear Editors,

Many Malaysians, including me, do not agree with what Hee Kiang said in Salient two weeks ago in regards, to Malaysian problems and the special position of the Malays. But first of all, for the sake of those Malaysians and those Kiwis who do not know who Hee Kiang is, may I point out that he was the president of MSA in 1971. This shows how cowardly Hee Kiang is trying to practically conceal his full identity and yet tries to show that he is a Malaysian Chinese. This Hee Kiang is an extremely selfish person. He tries to defend the privileged position of the Malays and the wrongful attitudes of the Malaysian Government in perpetuating the political, social and economic problems in such a way that he has shown himself to be all out against the Malaysian Chinese, (in his article in Salient he said "the so-called Chinese or Indians). He is a Malaysian Chinese himself. I am sure the Malaysian High Commission officials will doubt Hee Kiang's sincereity in condemning the Malaysian Chinese without some personal motive. Perhaps, one can understand his attitudes better if one is informed that he comes from a family background which ardently supports the ruling party of the Malaysian Government — the Alliance Party. And this explains why he is one of the few privileged Malaysian Chinese to be awarded a scholarship to study in New Zealand.

Regrettably, much NZ money is wasted on educating a person who has learnt to be selfish only. I haven't spoken to Hee Kiang myself even though I have been here for about 6 years. But I've been told that he [unclear: contra-] [unclear: dtcls] himself a lot and always indulges in much verbal gamesmanship and the use of legal terms to impress others, like most law students.

Hee Kiang thinks that he has done his part to provide solutions to the Malaysian problem; in fact, he has created more confusion because his suggestions WERE framed in such a way that his personal interests would not be prejudiced — some high government or political posts are in store for him in his Malaysian paradise. This explains why he is in favour of the privileged positions of the Malays and is so scared of a revolution in Malaysia.

His talk about the Malaysian Constitution and the Malays privileged position sounds very superflouous and unrealistic. This very fact was a cause of the bloody May 13 riot in 1969 and many non-Malays do not favour such a guarantee for the Malays as they realise, but not Hee Kiang, the dangers and prejudices caused to them when the Malays are being spoonfed. After 16 years, of fruitless spoon feeding, Hee Kiang worships the constitution and the guarantee it gives to the Malays. Hee Kiang must be either mad or very self-centred in his reasoning. Surely, a law student will not hero worship a constitution which is 'defective'. Even a commerce student like myself knows this.

So what else can the non-Malay races hope in Hee Kiang. Already, his term of office as President of MSA in 1971, has done much to blacken the image of MSA as being an extension of the Malaysian High Commission. This was true and yet he has the bastardly courage to speak out on behalf of the Malaysian students again and to blacken the image of the Chinese, even though he is one himself. He is not the spokesman for the Malaysians. He speaks for his selfish interest only. Mr Editors, no Malaysian with the right frame of mind has respect for Hee Kiang and his nonsensical talks and suggestions, except for a timid souls who are inspired by this "opportunist charismatic leadership." Hee Kiang, is an opportunist, an opportunist of the highest degree and if an opinion poll can be organised, few Malaysians would vote to prove this fact.

All the talks of Hee Kiang are purposeless and airy fairy. If only he has the Malaysian interests at heart, he would have done something to rebuke A. Rimbaud's racist attacks on Asians (especially Malaysian students) on campus. Sensing that this racist attack does not effect him directly, he decides to keep quiet and concentrate his attention in writing about Malaysian problems (as if the racist attacks on Asians are not Malaysian problems) to project his good image in the eyes of the Malaysian High Commission officials and those Malaysian spies on campus.

Mr Editors, I am very sad because of the existence of Hee Kiang on campus. The sooner Michael Lim Hee Kiang leaves the campus the better, for he is wrong but will always deny it in his many letters yet to be published in Salient. His true worth is shown, and will be shown again in his ability to contradict himself and to trespass upon the weak. For all these reasons the longer he stays the more Malaysians will become "ill".

A True Malaysian Chinese

P.S. Perhaps Kiwis and Malaysians have to think about the timidity' of MSA again. MSA starting from this year is becoming a thorn to the flesh of the Malaysian High Commission. And MSA is no longer Hee Kiang and Hee Kiang can't become MSA.