The "Debate"

A response was received via email from the General Secretary of the MSC herself, Ms. Nisha Gill.

MUSA-CAMUSA Debate‏

       

            From:Nisha Gill (gensec@musa.monash.edu.my)                     

            Sent:Friday, September 07, 2007 9:12:16 PM        

            Reply-to:gensec@musa.monash.edu.my        

            To:ca-musa@hotmail.com        

           

Dear CAMUSA,

The Monash Student Council (MSC) acknowledges your opposition to the
referendum, but feel that there are several points that have been
misunderstood. Furthermore, we are concerned about calls to abolish the student union (the Monash University Student Association, or MUSA).

We'd therefore like to invite a delegation to a live debate, to be held next Tuesday from 12PM-1PM at the cafeteria. The MSC hopes that you will accept the offer, as we believe it will help towards cementing the student culture here as open to criticism, transparent, and democratic.

Please RSVP to this invite by 9th September, along with names (and/or
nicknames, if you are anxious to impart your given names at this moments) of the debaters so that we might be able to identify them.

Thank you.

Best Regards,
Nisha Gill
General Secretary
Monash University Student Association
Monash University
Jalan Lagoon Selatan
Bandar Sunway
46150 Petaling Jaya
Selangor Darul Ehsan
Malaysia
Tel: 603-55146000 ext 61784 Fax: 603-55146356
E-mail: gensec@musa.monash.edu.my
URL: www.musaonline.com

We, we're informed by a student that fliers had been posted around campus that there would be a "MUSA - CAMUSA Debate" going on this coming Tuesday at 12-1pm as in the email. This boggles us as CAMUSA had not at any time agreed for a debate, apparently the members of the MSC weren't willing to wait for a reply. However we did send one that reads...

RE: MUSA-CAMUSA Debate‏

               

            From:Ca Musa (ca-musa@hotmail.com)        

            Sent:Sunday, September 09, 2007 1:32:32 AM                        

            To:gensec@musa.monash.edu.my        

           

Ms, General Secretary,

Considering your invitation for the live debate, of which we suppose would take place during the "Speakers' Corner" session, we regret to inform you that it is not to our best interests to participate in said debate considering your fellow councilmembers' reputation of hitting below the belt, namely the case of a certain Mr. Daniel Tan not very long ago. Make no mistake, we find Mr Tan's remarks in his blog to be extremely appalling, but action speaks louder than words, and by your handling of such trivial matter, God help us from whatever you're planning to do regarding our little fracas.

CAMUSA

P/S: As for our identities, I think we need no introduction Ms. General Secretary...

This of course in reference to THE Daniel Tan, Presidential hopeful from the ACE party of the previous MUSA election. Mr. Tan was accused of posting racist remarks in his blog by the rival party (no prizes for guessing who), of which he denied, it's his words against theirs...we have no comments. Again, we are affirming that we are non-partisan, it doesn't matter to us who sits in the MSC table, we are against the structure that is MUSA and whoever it is who happens to run it.

FREEDOM!

Comments

[joanne liyeng]

Hi CAMUSA,

It gives me great pleasure to have stumbled upon your blog as there are interesting insights here to issues that are not talked, seen or heard about to a regular Monash student. I believe it is with good intentions that you, or your team gather together to stand up for student rights, and I commend you for your goodwill, effort and courage. However, it is also my sincere belief that too much of energy is channeled into this, when there may be other matters concerning student affairs which may need urgent attention. I may not be an influential voice in the university, but I sincerely hope that this conflict will be resolved in the most constructive manner possible, to avoid further complication to the already burdensome student life. Don't get me wrong - am not taking any sides. I just believe that there are more efficient ways to solve problems. =)

[Temme]

Dear CAMUSA,

While I think your intentions are commendable, I suggest you do not talk about matters in which you do not know the actual facts. i.e. the Daniel Tan case.
The EC had investigated the matter and the grounds on which they came up with the decision is valid.

[CAMUSA]

We are not questioning the validity of the matter but the but the condust of said party to use this for their own gains.

FREEDOM!