AS students of a private university, we are appalled at the behaviour of
                  protesters who demonstrated outside Dewan Tunku Canselor Universiti Malaya
                  when Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was delivering
                  a premier lecture in conjunction with UM's 50th anniversary.

                  While we respect freedom of speech and expression in this country, we are
                  totally displeased with the way these students, who claimed to represent the
                  two student bodies, acted in seeking an avenue to communicate with the
                  Government on their grouses.

                  If the intention was to embarrass Abdullah (or more fondly referred to as Pak
                  Lah) in front of other leaders and dignitaries, then they have failed miserably, for
                  he confronted them with the firmness of a leader, yet retaining his fatherly
                  qualities in his willingness to hear them out.

                  We salute Pak Lah for not falling into the trap of the protesters for, in meeting
                  them, he had proven that the Government is always willing to listen to students'
                  complaints.

                  He has also shown the Government is not high-handed in dealing with student
                  issues.

                  Among the demands contained in the students' two memoranda are the
                  abolition of the Internal Security Act and a review of the Universities and
                  University Colleges Act.

                  They also urged the Government to continue its anti-Israel policy, pressed the
                  Anti-Corruption Agency to prosecute a Cabinet Minister for corruption and
                  called for the setting up of a royal commission to investigate the alleged
                  poisoning of Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

                  The list of the demands seems rather noble, justified and well-intended with the
                  underlying cause of fighting for justice and upholding truth, something which is
                  universal and not peculiar to these protesters alone.

                  What bothers us is the way these demands are put forward for the
                  Government's attention as it is similar in pattern to that of the opposition
                  parties.

                  The handing over of memoranda and unruly street protests seem to be the
                  culture that the opposition tries to introduce into our society and, sad to say,
                  the students were acting in tandem with the opposition's tactics and strategy to
                  undermine the peace and stability of the country.

                  Before they go on any further with their fiery brand of fighting for their so-called
                  noble causes, we advise them to ponder the students' reformasi movement that
                  has brought so much misery and suffering to the people in Indonesia.

                  They succeeded in forcing Suharto to step down as President but, at the same
                  time, the reformasi group unwittingly sold out their country to the foreigners.

                  Now we see foreigners, especially the Americans, practically in every decision
                  making of the government on matters concerning the economy and politics.

                  Now every law passed and regulation made in Indonesia must take into
                  consideration the interest of the US, otherwise those bills will not see the light
                  of day.

                  The once proud bangsa Indonesia has lost its pride and fighting spirit and has
                  now become subservient to the US and western interests all because the
                  students wanted change and, eventually, change is what they got--for the
                  worse.

                  Indonesia can no longer say "no" to the US and we see that the real
                  beneficiaries of reformasi are American and foreign firms and business
                  interests.

                  The Malaysian National Council of Students and the Peninsular Malaysia
                  Muslim Students' Association should really search their hearts and souls
                  whether what they did was only for their benefit and vested agenda or were they
                  truly thinking of the nation's wellbeing and safety?

                  The Indonesian students too wanted to uphold justice and truth and, in the end,
                  what they got is mayhem, destruction and chaos in their own country.

                  Are our students willing to be blamed by present and future generations for
                  repeating the same mistake as their compatriots in Indonesia?

                  It is indeed unfortunate if these student bodies allow themselves to be used by
                  the opposition for their own political agenda.

                  While it is generally accepted that students represent a unique and important
                  section of society in terms of their enthusiasm and burning desire in the fight for
                  justice and truth in a country, it does not, however, mean the fighting spirit must
                  always be translated into anti-government or anti-establishment outlook.

                  Student bodies hold a heavy responsibility in being the eyes and ears in a
                  system of governance as they provide a check-and-balance mechanism to
                  prevent abuses and mismanagement in a government.

                  This noble duty must be carried out in the full knowledge that the fate and
                  destiny of a nation rest on their shoulders and should an event like that at the
                  UM happen, then the students must reassess their true role in society.

                  There should also be a paradigm shift in the mindset of our students from being
                  known to society as a group that easily falls prey to the opposition ploy to that
                  of a pro-active and progressive entity that acts as the bastion and guardian of
                  society.

                  As fellow students, we urge our brothers-in-arm to move away from the
                  opposition's sway and set themselves free to take charge of their minds and
                  thinking as truly responsible and committed rakyat of Malaysia.

                  H. SANI AND VARSITY MATES, Kelana Jaya.