Statement by the Otago University Chinese Language Club on the arrest of Khoo Ee Liam

The arrest of Khoo Ee Liam, former Canterbury University student has recently received wide publicity which brought forth protests from students throughout New Zealand and from a concerned public. Under the auspices of the New Zealand University Students' Association, a national campaign is currently being launched to secure the release of Khoo and the freedom for Malaysian students' activities without surveilance and intimidation from the Malaysia High Commission.

In the event of such an outcry, the Chinese Language Club of Otago University expresses its deep concern and deplores the arrest of Khoo. This trend of events is not dissimilar to the actions taken by the Malaysian High Commission on the issue of the "Eastern Cultural Concert" organised by us last year.

The staging of this concert was mainly intended to promote mutual understanding between the peoples of countries and New Zealand through portraying the culture of the people, and not that of a feudal minority. This was unfortunately accused by the Malaysian High Commissioner of being communist propaganda made possible by a foreign power and that the New Zealand Communist Party was involved. The High Commission further stated that active participation in the concert, "would constitute active participation in a political movement aimed at overthrowing the constitution of our country and the rule of law (Otago Daily Times 10.9.73). However the avalanche of telegrams, letters of appreciation, encouragement and support received from our audiences and our fellow Malaysian students particularly in the midst of accusations from the High Commission, showed us that we did right in staging the concert. Referring to the charges of subversion, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Rt. Hon. N.E. Kirk, stated in a press report that he was "not aware of any evidence to suggest any illegal activities by a foreign power" (Otago Daily Times, 12.9.73). The Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdul Razak, also finally admitted in the Malaysian Parliament that there was no specific evidence for Mr Jack de Silva's allegation.

However, despite this final withdrawl of charges, intimidation towards Malaysian students did not cease. In fact, one of the statements recently distributed to all Malaysian students, specifically discredited the participants of the concert. There were strong overtones of a warning against participation in activities of such nature.

We condemn this series of events and deplore the incessant suppression and deprivation of freedom of thought and expression among Malaysian students in New Zealand.

We firmly support the New Zealand University Students Association's efforts to secure Khoo's immediate, unconditional release and to struggle for the restoration of fundamental human rights as expressed in the UN Charter..