Recent statements by the Malaysian High Commissioner, Mr Jack De Silva, alleging that Malaysian students are being subverted by "communist propaganda" backed by a "foreign power" have highlighted political differences among Malaysian students. But controversy about the existence of two student associations representing Malaysian students in New Zealand — MSSA and the Malaysian Students Association (MSA) — has been raging for several years.

Breakaway

In 1968-1969 breakaway groups from MSSAs around the country formed separate students associations representing Malaysian students only. At the time, and ever since, there have been claims that the split was the result of pressure from the Malaysian High Commission. In his recent statements about "communist subversion" Mr De Silva has stated that MSA is the only body that can represent Malaysian students in New Zealand.

At the last SRC meeting the President of the Wellington MSA, Mr Steven Oh, denied that his association was a puppet of the High Commission. Mr Oh (whose statement criticising Mr De Silva's recent remarks is printed in the letters column in this issue) said MSA was an independent body and that all students were welcome to participate in it.

Saturday's ACM, attended by about 150 Malaysian, Singaporean and New Zealand students, was in uproar shortly after it began when the Executive's report was presented. A section of the report attacked Mr Cornelius Derado, one of the three presidents of MSSA this year, in very strong terms. After a lot of procedural wrangling, a motion deleting this section of the report was carried narrowly.

'Suicide Squad'

By the time the election of officers was held the meeting was divided into two hostile camps. The presidential candidate of the opponents of the incumbent MSSA Executive, Mr Lim Peng Aun, proclaimed that he wasn't interested in politics and that his faction stood for harmony between Malaysian and Singaporean students, other overseas students and New Zealand students. One long-standing member of MSSA observed that this ticket Was a "suicide squad" intent on dissolving the association.

The other presidential candidate, Mr David Tan, stood by the actions of the 1972/1973 Executive and said membership of the association was open to all students, irrespective of nationality. Mr Tan won the election 83 votes to 69, and the other candidates on his ticket were successful by similar majorities.

After the elections the meeting proceeded to discuss a motion to dissolve MSSA, moved by Cornelius Derado and seconded by Mr Michael Lim, a former president of MSA. Mr Derado said that while MSSA had fewer Malaysian members than MSA, it was the only body recognised by the Students Association, and claimed that it was "no good" for Malaysian student to be divided up.

Orders from Above

Michael Lim attacked the "big guns" from NZUSA and VUWSA for being at the meeting. He said it was his "perennial action" to move the dissolution of MSSA (even though his motion was defeated every year) but he and his supporters were not denying anyone the right to form association. Mr Lim also denied "a rumour" that he was moving the dissolution motion at the instigation of the High Commission.

Students Association President Peter Wilson accused Michael Lim of misrepresenting VUWSA's position by claiming that the Association was interfering in Malaysian students's affairs. He said his only reason for being at the meeting was to see that members of MSSA were free to organise themselves without interference from hostile elements like Mr Lim. He added that charges of discrimination by the Students Association in favour of MSSA were false because the Executive had allowed MSA to operate on campus as though it was an affiliated club, which it is not.

MSA President Steven Oh also attacked New Zealand students for interfering in Malaysian affairs and denied "rumours" that MSA had been insidiously plotting the dissolution of MSSA' He said he was at the meeting as an individual, not as a representative of his association.

After an orderly debate, compared to the rest of the meeting the dissolution motion was put and overwhelmingly lost. The final resolution of the meeting, deploring the actions of the High Commissioner "in respect of his blatant intimidation of Malaysian students studying in New Zealand universitites," was carried with little discussion and the sole dissent of Michael Lim.