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Salient. Victoria University Students Newspaper. Volume 37, No 26. October 2, 1974

Enemy or friend?

Enemy or friend?

Dear Sir,

I have a few points to make. MSA denied the achievement of strikes. It claimed to run a mild policy of fighting for the interest of the students. But a closer analysis will uncover the following:
1)They are (MSA executive members) against demonstration but this does not necessarily mean that they have to dissuade and frighten people from taking part.
2)There is no doubt that R. Pui has stood out for the interest of students. If they claim to fight for the same they should unite with R Pui for the goal. Yet the MSA ex- president and others went the other way, even started to criticise him and his stand.
3)MSA (last) consulted the High Com first before it brought out the issue at the conference. Isn't that ridiculous? Not discussing with the members first before contacting the High Commission.

Thus it is not difficult to conclude that they have used "the curtain" method to fool the members and public i.e. pretending to be fighting for the "rights of students". In the recent arrest of Hishammuddin Rais, student leaders and lecturers, MSA issued the statement saying "we regret...." Well, there is nothing to regret about! Really it was a shame that such a "timid" statement had been issued. I and definitely many others feel that a statement giving our full support to MU students in their fight for democratic rights and at the same time condemning the fascist Malaysian Government of its fascist rules should be issued.

As a MSA member and as a first year student I make the above comments after a year of observations. I think our priority is to write and identify our common enemy, the Malaysian authorities. Members of the association should speak out whenever our views are misrepresented and if necessary now and then, take actions to make them do something really meaningful. However, we cannot rely on them, afterall they have not been voted in democratically and definitely not by a majority. More important, we the members should be united with all the other students. Undoubtedly victory is ours. Let us congratulate each other for our success this year and look forward for more and greater in the coming 1975.

Very Concerned Malaysian