I refer to Clear Mind in London's letter Certain students left in the cold again. A similar leadership camp was recently held in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia by the Malaysian Student Department there. The objective was of course to train students to become leaders.

The camp was limited to students from Sydney and Newcastle, possibly because of travel difficulties — distance is a much greater problem here than in the UK and Ireland. Students from other inter-state bodies were not invited.

Disappointingly, student leaders in Sydney and Newcastle were required to pay a fee for attending the camp even though it was meant for students and sponsored by the MSD. The students were attending the camp at the request of the MSD director. Moreover, the director did not organise the camp but had instructed certain students to be the organising committee for the event.

This was at a time when most students were busy preparing for their looming exams. The insensitivity of the MSD in Australia is known to almost all the students here, especially those in Sydney were the MSD is located.

They also feel that there is a conscious effort by the department to try to divide students in Australia and drive a rift between them and Malaysians living in Australia. The role of the MSD in facilitating student welfare is also questionable.

The students are also aware that the MSD director is a strong Umno proponent and that the government will defend his actions no matter what. They have been shocked by some of his racially insensitive speeches and something must be done before more harm is done.

Malaysian students in Australia generally get on very well, be they Malay, Chinese or Indian. There has never been any racial tension until lately.

The governing body of the Malaysian students societies in Australia known as the Malaysian Students Council of Australia or Masca for short was formed last year. Its goal was to unite Malaysian students in Australia regardless of their location, and to channel their problems to the Malaysian government. However, many now feel that it has become a tool for the MSD to impose its will on students. Thus, Masca has begun to lose its credibility.

I write this to inform the public that there are 18,000 Malaysian students in Australia, and that our plight as students is just as important as those in the UK.