Malaysian students at US universities are encountering disruptions to their campus lives as pro-Palestinian protests emerge.

Some have been harassed, and many have had their names called.

Azida Ahmad Azmi, a graduate student at Columbia University in New York, said the rising situation was difficult to prevent, particularly on her campus, where the initial protest occurred.

"The encampment (at my institution) began about a week ago. "I have two friends who were arrested," Azida remarked, providing her firsthand perspective of being surrounded by the chaos.

"The protests have undoubtedly had a significant influence on how my lessons are handled.

"The university has announced that all students will now be able to attend classes virtually due to the heavy NYPD (New York Police Department) presence on campus, which intimidates students."

"A lot of final (sit-down) exams have also been converted into take-home finals," explained Azida, who has been witnessing the protests and photographing them for her photojournalist portfolio.

According to The Star, pro-Palestine protests have been recorded at around 50 campuses in the United States, many of which are Ivy League institutions, including Columbia University, the University of California Los Angeles, Yale University, Harvard University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The Associated Press reports that about 100 individuals were arrested at Columbia University on April 18.

On Tuesday, police moved in on protesters at Columbia University after some students took over an academic building.

So far, more than 1,000 individuals have been detained around the country.

Protesters are calling for a cease-fire in the Gaza crisis, as well as the university's financial divestment from Israel.

Some institutions have warned demonstrators against encamping on school grounds, sometimes threatening expulsion.

The situation of Palestinians is a sensitive matter for Malaysians, but what has surprised many is the outpouring of sympathy for their cause at some high-profile universities in the United States.

Azida, who wears a headscarf, claims it is obvious that she is Muslim.

"It scares me when I walk to campus from my apartment," she claimed.

Fortunately for Azida, who is studying Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, her instructors have been incredibly helpful given the circumstances.

"They ask if we need extensions if we need a space in class to talk about what's happening on campus," she informed.

Inas Anwar, vice president of the Malaysian Student Association at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), stated that students who wear a hijab, turban, or keffiyeh encounter the same intolerance.

"It's taken a lot of unlearning for me to finally feel confident wearing the keffiyeh proudly in different spaces on campus and to be loud about my stance on Palestinian liberation," she went on to say.

Inas, who has previously participated in college protests, stated that, despite the important issues at stake, the student encampments have a "very vibrant" vibe.

"There are movie screenings, speeches (and) dances," she explained, adding that there are also organized attempts to gather goods and requirements for the encampment.

While campus activities at UC Berkeley have not been disrupted, Inas stated that some students have opted not to attend classes as another form of protest.

"The university has taken a quite restrained posture. "The administration issued a few disappointing statements that criticize 'antisemitism' and completely miss the point of the demonstrations," she added, noting that many Jews on campus support Palestinian liberation.

Muiz Mustamir, a freshman at UC Berkeley, claimed he helped the cause by giving to the student encampment.

He stated that the institution is maintaining a neutral approach and avoiding any amplification of anti-Semitism.

"One of the main demands (from student protesters) is for the university to break its silence on the conflict," Muiz said, adding that protestors have also pushed for UC Berkeley to financially withdraw from Israel.

Many Malaysian students reported that they had spoken with Malaysian officials and sponsors about the situation.

Muiz stated that his student chat group received informal text messages warning them to prioritize their safety and avoid being suspended from their colleges or arrested.

Despite the increasing situation, Azida, Inas, and Muiz aim to remain in the United States until their studies are completed in 2025 and 2026, respectively.

Tur Chung, a PhD student in Deaf Education and Fulbright scholar at the University of Tennessee, claimed there were no protests at his campus, and that many students are focused on end-of-semester examinations.

While he does not monitor the protests, he advises individuals who participate to observe university norms.

"The university can't stand with (student) protests for a long time," he said, adding that certain stakeholders provide large sums of money to fund scholarships, events, and programs.

"Without sponsorships, the universities are unable to succeed (or run) any programmes."

Source: The Star