I wish to comment on the reply from Wan Mohd Firdaus, as chairman of UKEC (United Kingdom Executive Committee for Malaysian Students), on accusations of non-independence of the student body.
It is gratifying to know that he takes his position seriously and endeavours to steer clear of partisan politics. However, the real situation in UK is just an extension of what is happening in Malaysia. The blame lies in the political leaders and their narrow policies and the civil servants carrying out their stated duties, some being over-zealous.
First of all, I challenge the government in denying that some of the students in UK, as well as anyway else where it is deemed necessary, are acting as spies for the Special Branch.
The Malaysian Students Department in the UK, besides carrying out its normal duties, also tries to control the activities of Malaysian students, for example, when they are organising seminars involving personalities deemed unsuitable, for example, Anwar Ibrahim. In spite of him being described as irrelevant, wherever he went to, an alternate event was held to prevent the students from attending his, with warnings too. It was wasteful when coaches provided by the government for prescribed events go about almost empty.
It is a fact that for those under government or government-linked scholarships, they will be told to refrain from organising, or even attending, events involving opposition leaders.
The MSD, being under the Malaysian High Commission in UK, oversees all the Malaysian Students’ Societies in the universities, polytechnic and colleges. By taking orders from the ruling party leaders accustomed to their narrow objectives of using government funds for their own objectives, is it any wonder that any student body making use of its facilities is seen to be non-independent especially in this case, involving MCA!
To be truly independent, UKEC has to avoid making use of any facilities involving Umno, MCA or MIC. Otherwise, nothing is going to change the fact that the government has double standards when dealing with students under UUCA.
No. 48, Jalan Kemuja, Bangsar Utama 59000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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