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 37, No. 11. May 29, 1974

Malaysian student jailed

Malaysian student jailed

Last year the Malaysian High Commissioner, Jack De Silva, made headlines by warning politically active Malaysian students of the consequences that awaited them at home. That threat has now been made reality in the case of Khoo Ee Liam. Khoo was arrested by the security police in the early morning of February 27 at his family home in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's capital.

Khoo Ee Liam was a private student (as opposed to a Colombo Plan student) at Cinterbury for a number of years. He was an exception among overseas students in that he played an active part in student politics, and was elected to Exec, in 1970, becoming the International Officer. He was a popular and well-known figure on campus. A controversy erupted in 1970 when the Labour Department refused to extend his permit and ordered him to return to Malaysia on the grounds that his academic record wasn't good enough for him to be allowed to remain at university in New Zealand. Khoo appealed against the decision and was allowed to stay. A prominent factor in the controversy was the consequences awaiting him at home as a result of his political activity in New Zealand.

Khoo finally did return to Malaysia in 1971. On his arrival he was held for a week under questioning but then released on his father's recognisance. It was then assumed that he was safe. He had in fact been back in Malaysia two to three years before being arrested and held as a political prisoner.

It is now months since Khoo was arrested. We have had this information for some time but have not published it, hoping that more details would become known. None have, however — nothing is known about what charge Khoo faces, where he is being held, what his condition is, or even if he's still being held. It is rumoured that Khoo was asked to supply a list of politically active Malaysian student in New Zealand, but he refused — thus he was arrested.

The University of Canterbury Student Newspaper, Canta rang the Malaysian High Commission in Wellington and asked to speak to Jack De Silva. His secretary wouldn't accept the call until she knew what we wanted — when told it was about Khoo Ee Liam. She said that De Silva refused to speak to us about it or make any comment. Try ringing De Silva yourself — his office number is Wellington 587-57.

NZUSA has not been idle — led by International Vice-President Alick Shaw, they approached the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the matter. They received a letter from Mr Norrish. Deputy-Secretary of Foreign Affairs saying that New Zealand had limited resources for finding out about individual political prisoners, but "Mr, Khoo's previous association with New Zealand makes this case an exception. I have therefore asked our High Commissioner in Kuala Lumpur to make enquiries and we will let you know when we hear from him." So far nothing has been heard Alick Shaw tried to speak to De Silva, hut was told that De Silva refused to see or speak to anyone from NZUSA. Dave Cuthbert, former Canterbury and NZUSA President, now STB Director, went to Kuala Lumpur late last month in an attempt to see Khoo and Justice Ministry officials to discuss the case.

New Zealand has close links with Malaysia. Our soldiers fought there in the "Malayan Emergency", our soldiers were there in the "confrontation" against Indonesia, our soldiers are still stationed in Malaysia and Singapore. Not long ago the local media reported that Malaysian Army personnel were in Christchurch to buy Labrador dogs to train as "people-sniffers" to find "terrorists" in the jungle. There are close trade links. New Zealanders like to think of Malaysia as a democratic society, one which they helped to save from Communism. The reality of Malaysia is quite different — it is as near as makes no difference to being a fascist stale. Khoo's case proves that De Silva's statements last year were promises, not threats — it is obvious that Khoo's arrest and De Silva's activities are not unconnected. Khoo has been arrested after being back in Malaysia for some time — no details are known apart from that fact that he was arrested. The New Zealand representatives of the Malaysian Government refuse to say anything. De Silva and the Malaysian Government must be forcefully told that the students of this country have a right to know all relevant details of the detention of one of their former members. Furthermore, it must be made clear that Khoo Ee Liam, now held as a political prisoner, must be freed.

Khoo Ee Liam (picture & story thanks to Canta)

Khoo Ee Liam (picture & story thanks to Canta)

Salient rang the Malaysian High Commission to enquire about Khoo. Mr de Silva was in conference, be; his secretary said he might ring us back. He didn't. When we rang later he was out, they said, and was very busy. They put us onto Mr Zainol who handles student matters. He didn't know anything, he said, laughing. We didn't know about Khoo until somebody rang us, he said, also finding this funny. He had heard nothing from Malaysia on Khoo, he said, and could not comment on the arrest's complications for other Malaysian students in New Zealand.