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Salient. Victoria University Students' Newspaper. Volume 39, Number 25. October 4, 1976

The Tiger Awakes

The Tiger Awakes

Wmssa

A group of Malaysian students have approached Kelvin Ratnam, the interim President of WMSSA, with the idea of reviving this association on campus next year.

The reason for this move is the obvious need for a viable organisation that can responsibly and constructively represent and involve Malaysian students, according to Messrs K.C. Ho and D. Low and friends.

Apathy Among Malaysians

They said the present lack of interest among Malaysians in student affairs was due to a number of factors, the main one being the absence of any organisation which promoted real student participation at all levels.

In the past, small committees have dominated the various campus organisations' affairs, arranging functions with little regard to the members' wishes and hence discouraging members' involvement Activities have not been arranged on a regular basis, with a definite aim in mind, which is reflected in the declining numbers supporting such functions.

Nz-Malaysian Relations

This group of students is also concerned about the wide communciation gap between NZ and Malaysian students as indicated in the torrent of abuse against Malaysians in Salient. They feel there is a definite need to promote friendship and understanding between the two groups and also other national groups at university. Any organisation claiming to represent Malaysians should not be inward looking, but instead should encourage and promote joint activities with the rest of the student population.

Integrated Programme and Regular Meetings

They have a number of ideas on how this could be planned for the whole of next year with the aim of holding regular meetings. Activities could include an orientation programme, cultural evenings, film shows and camping trips etc., flexible enough to include items as members see fit. The students would particularly like to see members organise study groups in which students from all faculties could advise and help each other in their studies. Participation in such groups would promote friendship between senior and newly arrived students. They also have in mind as part of the proposed orientation programme a course to introduce inexperienced students to the elementaries of flatting, budgetting and cooking in the first term.

While it is recognised that some form of committee is needed to co-ordinate activities and finance, the emphasis would be on total particpation by all, so that the organisation truly represents its members.

Regular Newsletter

In order to keep all members informed about what is happening in the association, they hope to put out a regular newsletter. They said that m the last few years there have been a lot of grumbling about the lack of communication between Malaysians and their associations. This is one way of solving the problem.

Other Organisations Welcome to Join in Mssa Programme

It is stressed that in reviving MSSA there is no intention of underming any other organisations but instead, the organisers would welcome the help and support of other groups.

Members Take the Lead Subject to their Criticism

They will work on the principle of implementing the directions of the majority of members and of Accepting any criticism which is aimed at improving the working of the associstion.

Short Meeting on Thurs 7th October

The group will seek to reaffiliate WMSSA with VUWSA. A short meeting will be held on 7th October in the Union Hall at 7.30 p.m. to discuss their ideas with all interested persons.

They acknowledge that it is a bit too near the exams to bring this up, but they think that the number of people attending will enable them to gauge the strength of thier support.

They hope to form an ad hoc committee at this meeting, or a formal committee to put into effect their ideas which they will discuss in more detail then. To this end, they invite every one who is interested to join in the creation of a lively organisation, to come to the meeting on Thursday evening.