TASEK UTARA 1974: STUDENT-SQUATTER SOLIDARITY

The Struggle Escalates.

On Sept. 20, more than 2,500 students demonstrated in front of the Prime Minister's Department, to press for their just demands. No response again.

On Sept. 21, another demonstration was held. More than 2,000(2) marched peacefully in Kuala Lumpur. They were stopped on the way by truck loads of FRU men armed to the teeth with batons, tear gas and guns.

They fired tear gas at the students and the public. Such forceful dispersal of over 2,000 people obviously caused traffic jams. The propaganda machinery accused the students of causing traffic jams.

The students wanted to ask: who really caused the traffic jams Many students were wantonly injured. More than ten were arrest- ed, but were soon released for fear of popular wrath.

UMSU call- ed an emergency meeting of the JCRCs (Junior Committees of the Residential College) of all seven colleges and other affiliated bodies. After lengthy discussions, it was unanimously agreed that to avoid further brutalities arising from continuing mass demon- strations, students should rally inside the campus and the campus administration should be taken over.

By taking over the campus, UMSU hoped to unite all the students to force the authorities to meet the students' demands. The Temporary Executive Council (TEC) was formed during this meeting.

All these decisions were taken to escalate the struggle in order to support, and to secure more mass support from more students for the struggle of the squatters. The TEC formally took over the university administration at 2.30 p.m.

Everything was done in an orderly manner and even Utusan Malaysia (Sept. 28) had to admit that everything was "calm and orderly".

Here come the "Nationalists"!

Later that evening, some self proclaimed "nationalists" met in the Arts Faculty and formed a "Nationalist Executive Council" (NEC) claiming a "popular mandate". They denounced UMSU for acting "beyond their limits" and for being exploited by outside quarters because UMSU strongly supported the struggle of the squatters and had demanded the immediate and unconditional release of those arrested.

2.More would have participated had it not been for the timely blocking of UMSU buse on the way to bring I.T.M. students by the police.