Malaysian students have a long history of activism around a range of sociopolitical issues, dating back to the late colonial period. However, Malaysian students are commonly perceived as unusually apathetic or easily cowed by government threats and sanctions. This paper explores the manifestation, nature and impacts of student activism in Malaysia, concluding that not just repressive tactics, but also ethnic and religious divisions, the relative position of the university in Malaysian society, and the availability of channels for at least some degree of engagement have curbed student unity and more transgressive activism.
Samad IsmailA. (1998), ‘Our James’, in PuthuchearyD., and JomoK. S., eds, James Puthucheary: No Cowardly Past: Writings, Poems, Commentaries, INSAN, Kuala Lumpur.
2.
AbrahamS. J. (1999), ‘National identity and ethnicity: Malaysian perspectives’, paper presented at Second International Malaysian Studies Conference, 2–4 August, Kuala Lumpur.
3.
AFHR (nd), The State of Human Rights in Malaysia: A Collection of Documents Relating to Political Detainees, Political Banishees and Their Struggles and Also to the Laws and Procedures, original edition, various sources, Asian Forum on Human Rights, Hong Kong.
AspinallE. (2004), ‘Student activism in Indonesia: the burden of purity’, paper presented at the Association of Asian Studies Annual Meeting, 4–7 March, San Diego, CA.
6.
Aspirasi (1995/96), ‘Suara Mahasiswa: Di Tahap Manakah Penerimaannya?’Aspirasi, Vol 20, pp 68–70.
7.
BalakrishnanS. (1969), ‘Student government and welfare’, in SinghC., and CheokT. B., eds, Student Problems in Southeast Asian Universities, Association of Southeast Asian Institutions of Higher Learning, Bangkok.
8.
YiBeh Lih (2003), ‘“ISA 7” case raised in parliament’, Malaysiakini, 20 October.
9.
ButtwellR. (1953), ‘A Chinese university for Malaya’, Pacific Affairs, Vol 26, No 4, pp 344–348.
10.
MuzaffarChandra (1984), ‘Has the communal situation worsened over the last decade? Some preliminary thoughts’, in Husin AliS., ed, Kaum Kelas dan Pembangunan Malaysia [Ethnicity Class and Development Malaysia], Persatuan Sains Sosial Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.
11.
KhengCheah Boon (2003, original ed, 1983), Red Star Over Malaya: Resistance and Social Conflict During and After the Japanese Occupation of Malaya, 1941–1946, 3 ed, Singapore University Press, Singapore.
12.
DEMA [Malaysian Youth and Student Democratic Movement] (2003), ‘Students involvement in promoting democracy’, in OmarN. M. A., ed, Values of Democracy and Youth, Institut Kajian Dasar, Kuala Lumpur.
13.
FernandezM. (2000), ‘Puthucheary – a brilliant man who was also a radical’, New Straits Times, 29 April.
14.
GopikumarM. K. (1972), ‘The National Student Service Corps: Volunteers in the Kampongs’, Synergist, Vol 1, No 3, pp 22–24.
15.
HarperT. N. (1999), The End of Empire and the Making of Malaya, Cambridge University Press, New York.
16.
KarimHassan (1984), ‘The student movement in Malaysia, 1967–74’, in KarimHassan and HamidSiti Nor, eds, With the People! The Malaysian Student Movement 1967–74, Institute for Social Analysis (INSAN), Petaling Jaya.
17.
KarimHassan, and HamidSiti Nor, eds (1984), With the People! The Malaysian Student Movement 1967–74, Institute for Social Analysis (INSAN), Petaling Jaya.
18.
KoonHeng Pek (2004), ‘The Mahathir generation and nation-building in Malaysia: Political, economic and socio-cultural dynamics’, in WelshB., ed, Reflections: The Mahathir Years, Southeast Asia Program, SAIS, Johns Hopkins University, Washington, DC.
ISREC (2001), ‘Draf Laporan Pencabulan Hak Asasi Terhadap Mahasiswa’, Independent Student Resource and Legal Training Centre.
21.
ISREC (2003a), Violation of Human Right on Malaysian Student (Part 1), Independent Student Resource and Legal Training Centre, 11 January 2003 [cited 30 September 2003], available from Website: www.isrec.org/main/modules.php7name=News&file=article&sid=11.
22.
ISREC (2003b), Violation of Human Right on Malaysian Student (Part 2), Independent Student Resource and Legal Training Centre, 11 January 2003 [cited 30 September 2003], available from Website: www.isrec.org/main/modules.php7name=News&file=article&sid=10.
23.
JomoK. S.KarimHassan Abdul, and CheekAhmad Shabery (1989), ‘Malaysia’, in AltbachP. G., ed, Student Political Activism: An International Reference Handbook, Greenwood, New York.
24.
SundaramJomo Kwame, and CheekAhmad Shabery (1992), ‘Malaysia's Islamic movements’, in KahnJ. S., and LohF. K. W., eds, Fragmented Vision: Culture and Politics in Contemporary Malaysia, Asian Studies Association of Australia and Allen and Unwin, Sydney.
25.
BakarJunaidi Abu (1993), Mahasiswa, Politik, dan Undang-undang, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Kuala Lumpur.
26.
KadirSuzaina (2004), ‘All's quiet on the student front: campus activism and the political status quo in Singapore’, paper presented at the Association of Asian Studies Annual Meeting, 4–7 March, San Diego, CA.
27.
AbdullahKariena (2003), ‘Missing the point in campus election “Battle“’, Malaysiakini, 29 September.
28.
KongKee Poo (1976), Tertiary Students and Social Development: An Area for Direct Action – Student Rural Service Activities in Malaysia, Regional Institute of Higher Education and Development, Singapore.
29.
TuminMakmor (2001), ‘Idealisme Gerakan Politik Mahasiswa’, Dewan Masyarakat, Vol 39, No 10, pp 44–45.
30.
MarimuthuThagavelu (1984), Student Development in Malaysian Universities, RIHED Occasional Paper #19, Regional Institute of Higher Education and Development, Singapore.
31.
IbrahimMd (1984–85), ‘Mampukah Mahasiswa Kini Menjadi Agen Perubahan Masyarakat?’Aspirasi, Vol 9, pp 110–113.
32.
BakarMohamad Abu (1981), ‘Islamic revivalism and the political process in Malaysia’, Asian Survey, Vol 21, No 10, pp 1040–1059.
33.
ZainMohd Izani (2002), ‘Pilihan Raya Kampus: Usah Ada Label-melabel’, Dewan Masyarakat, Vol 40, No 2, pp 52–53.
34.
Al-ManiriMohd Shuhaimi (1995), De Sebalik Tabir: Politik Kampus, Generasi Baru, Bangi.
35.
BakarMuhammad Abu (1973), Mahasiswa Menggugat: Suatu Analisa dan Peninjauan dari dalam terhadap Kegiatan Mahasiswa-mahasiswa Negeri Ini, Pustaka Antara, Kuala Lumpur.
36.
Munro-KuaA. (1996), Authoritarian Populism in Malaysia, St. Martin's Press, New York.
37.
NagataJ. (1980), ‘Religious ideology and social change: The Islamic revival in Malaysia’, Pacific Affairs, Vol 53, No 3, pp 405–439.
38.
NettoAnil (1999), ‘Academics speak out at their own risk’, Asia Times Online, 16 June.
39.
PandeyKeshav Raj (2000), ‘Looking back: The seed of ASA’, ASA News, 14–20 April.
PuthuchearyD. (1998), ‘James Puthucheary, his friends, and his time’, in PuthuchearyD., and JomoK. S., eds, James Puthucheary: No Cowardly Past: Writings, Poems, Commentaries, INSAN, Kuala Lumpur.
42.
PuthuchearyJ. (1998, original ed, 1949), ‘The university and the student in society’, in PuthuchearyD., and JomoK. S., eds, James Puthucheary: No Cowardly Past: Writings, Poems, Commentaries, INSAN, Kuala Lumpur.
43.
RoffW. R. (1994, original ed, 1967), The Origins of Malay Nationalism, 2 ed, Oxford University Press, Kuala Lumpur.
44.
SilversteinJ. (1970), ‘Burmese and Malaysian student politics: A preliminary comparative inquiry’, Journal of Southeast Asian Studies, Vol 1, No 1, pp 3–22.
45.
SilversteinJ. (1976), ‘Students in Southeast Asian politics’, Pacific Affairs, Vol 49, No 2, pp 189–212.
46.
SpectorS. (1956), ‘Students and politics in Singapore’, Far Eastern Survey, Vol 25, No 5, pp 65–73.
47.
EeTan Liok (1997), The Politics of Chinese Education in Malaya 1945–1961, Oxford University Press, Kuala Lumpur.
48.
UPP-IKD (2003), ‘Generation M and its role in a democratic Malaysia’, in OmarNurul Mu'az, ed, Values of Democracy and Youth, Unit Pendidikan Politik, Institut Kajian Dasar, Kuala Lumpur.
49.
Van der KroefJ. M. (1978–79), ‘Patterns of political opposition in Southeast Asia’, Pacific Affairs, Vol 51, No 4, pp 620–638.
50.
MananWanMudaWan, and JadiHaris Md, eds (1991), Akademia Menjelang Tahun 2000, Persatuan Kakitangan Akademik dan Pentadbiran Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang.
51.
AnwarZainah (1987), Islamic Revivalism in Malaysia: Dakwah Among the Students, Pelanduk Publications, Petaling Jaya.
52.
AnwarZainah (1990), ‘Pray less, play more’, Far Eastern Economic Review, Vol 147, No 4, pp 32–34.
