Voice your opinions

It is interesting to note that over the past 4½ years, there has been a continuous debate in the pages of Salient between Malaysians for and against being involved in politics. This year the debate appears to have taken on a national scale in New Zealand if one is to take the flurry of Malaysian letters in other student papers as an indicator.

These letters by and large have concentrated on attacking the leadership in MSA's around the country. MSSA has so far escaped the flak.

I cannot help feeling that the failings of MSSA and MSA are partly the result of the attitude of the majority of Malaysian students towards these associations.

I am against the existence of dual student bodies catering for the need of similar students. However it is not my intention to say which Association is redundant. The ultimate issue is not how badly the MSSA and MSA have served us; but how we, Malaysian students at large, responded to the calls of these Associations in the executions of their duties and obligations. The response and interaction between the two must be mutual if anything is to be achieved at all.

I presume every Malaysian student here is aware of the political, social and economic situation in Malaysia. Ours is a tender and sensitive nation and is experiencing a transitional era of "Malayanisation". Thus the need for every one of us to pull our weight in one way to do that. Letting the government know what you think is another. Remember most, if not all of us have to actually confront the "facts of life" in our country soon. The undesireable element will not be the one who speaks and acts for his country's sake; but will be the one who does not want to know and consequently does not care.

I implore all Malaysian students to take advantage of the relatively liberal environment in New Zealand (and especially at Victoria) to exercise their rights, and voice their opinions. Only by being more articulate will the Malaysian student be able to manifest that he is concerned about current political, social and economic issues in New Zealand, Malaysia and elsewhere. We must prove to others that our capacity to excel is not confined to badminton.

On behalf of everyone who loves his country dearly, I beseech you to get your priorities right. Silence is golden only at funerals. The government will benefit from a voluminous feedback of public opinion, and what other better way to test the sincerity of Razak's policy.