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IT!NF:RA.NT MIGRANTS - A. CASE STUDY OF THE CHA.RACTERI~~TICS
AND ADJUSTMI~'NT OF MALAYSI Al1 .~'I.1UDENTS
IN NEW ZEALAND
A Thesis freaented in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements tor the Degree cf ~aster of Arts in Geography
at ha.ssey University
By
Ah~ MEAN LEO Massey Uni!f rsity
19?3
i i.
ABSTRACT
The world todLQ" is witnessing rapid br akdown of
cultur 1 barriers ae more people migr te, either te poraril7 or permanently, from one society to another. The study of this ph nomenon is of special inter t to social scientists. For geographers the study of the process ot migration and immigrant communities has long b en a major branch of inquiry.
R latively littl howev r , has b en done on temporary forms of migration. Thi thesis is cone rned with one group ot
itinerant migrants in New Zealand - Malaysian univ rsity student •
An attempt was made to examine the characteristics ot the selection process, the cultural, sociological and personal background of the student migrants, and their distribution and other cbaract ristics in New Zealand. These char cteristios were compared with those of other groups of migrants, foreign students, local students and people in the society of origin and the ociety of study. The stud.Jr also examined the
adjuatment of the students in New Zealand and the relationship between the characteristics of the students and their adjustment.
The main tool of investigation was a postal questionnaire developed specially !or this study. It was supplemented by
personal observations and experience as an overseas student in New Zealand. The questionnaire was admini tered to a random sample comprising 30 percent of the total Malay ian student population in New Zealand universities in
197' •
OUt ot 415 que tionn re po t d, 285 were r turned. Four w re not co pleted and one r ject d, leaving 280 r pondenta in the f'inal anal:r•i •A numb r ot hJpo heae v r de on the ch cteri tioa and the and th rel tion hip be we n the char oteristic
ad.ju tJaent of tb on p raon l ob erY ions, gration atudi r aearchea on over a atud nte, in
w z al d d 0 rs •
The tqpoth ••• on t •
ch acteria~ica incl an • eta ion
or
t p dominance otiii.
young, male and single student migrants who are privatel7 financed and come !rom urban areas and middle socio-economic
class baokE;rounds. The results indicated that the
characteristics were as predicted and were therefore similar
to other migrants in general though there were several differences which were expected due to the vecy specific nature of the
migration, viz. for educational purposes.
l rodictions on the relationship between the characteristics and adjustment cover characteristics such as religious back- ground, rural-urban origin and socio-economic class. It was predicted that t hose with backgrounds closest to the hew Zealand norm are best adjusted, for exampie on religion Christians were expected to be best adjusted, followed by
those with no religion and non-Christians being least adjusted. For situational characteristics such as type of accommodation, duration of stay ana friendship with New Zealanders i t was predicted that the more exposed the students were to the New
·~ealand society the better would be the adjustment made. Mo~t
of the predictions emerged as expected.
The study is exploratory and the findings tentative. It
is only one approach to a complex research area. Its signi!icance1
if any, lies in its illustration of the potential of research in this field.
iv.
PREF 0
One of the ost striking develop nt in N w Zealand' due tion l institutions in the last d c de has be n the growth of tha overseas student population. From 960 in 1959 the number had risen to 4374 from 52 different countries in 19?2. Overseas students ha~ beco a feature of the
way of life in New Zealand, especially in the university cities.
With a group from such diverse cultures and backgrounds the oversea students provide a usetul re earch area for th
oeial sciences. In addition to learning more about the cultures, the selection processes, cross-cultural contact and adaptation, attitude change and re-adjustment, the information uncovered may be of assistance in helping foreigner adapt to t heir host countries.
This stud~ att mpts a geoEraphical approach, viewing the process as an i tinerant form of international mi~ration. It xamine the characteristics and adju5tment o! one particular group of overseas students. Th ir characteristics wer
compared to those of m.i~rants in general, other student migrants, th home society and the ho~t sociaty. Th study also
investigate the adjust ent of the stud nts to the n w environ- ment and ttempte to relate the characteristics of the students to their pattern of adjustment.
The comparison of characteristics between the ample group and th other elected groups w s limited by the av ila ility of data and th sur ent of the adjustment w oarri d out
~ith the d of seal d sign d specially tor this study.
Stati tical ch cka were ad.e to det rmin th igniticanee ot
th relationship b tw en the char cteri tioe and th dju nt p tt rn.
The pr
ent
atudy ie onl1 a pilot ga or 1 well w that tht
ingaIt it could atiaul te r d taile in New Z al tb n its purpose ia
urv 7 th inv ati-
onlJ' nta ive.
a
ot
v r • tud nta 17 tultilled.v.
I am de pl1 ind bt d to upervi or, Mr A.C. Walah, tor hi patient guid ce, in luable dvic and warm naour g - m nt bo~h in eonver tion and corre pond nc throughout this s'ttudl"• My gr titude is lso due to Prof sor K •. : • Thomson who showed special interest in this research and to the staff mem er
or
th Geography Department, Mass y University, who were moat g nerou in giving useful advice and assistance.Officials conc~rned with over eas student in the D partment o! L bour, Department ot Education, Ministry ot Foreign Atfaira nd the Malaysian High Commi sion to New
Zealand have be n most kind in providing statistical information. The Registrars ot universities in N w Zealand willingly
upplied names and figure o! Malaysian students and arranged for the distribution of the questionnaires. Fin lly, the survey would not have b en possible without the co-operation of the Malaysian students in New Zealand who not only !illed in the questionnaires but add d mucb use!ul comment as well. To them all, and many others who have h lped in one way or another, my sincere thanks.
Ohriatchurcb
Dec ber 19?3 Leo Ann M an
'Preface
Chapter:
I.
I I. I I I .
TABLE OF CONTlliTS
Introduction
The Selection Procesa
Background Characteristics
IV. Distribution and Other Ch~acter
ietice in New Zealana.
v.
VI.
Adjustment in New Zealand and th Factors which Influence it
Conclusion
Appendices Bibliography
Page
iv
1
15
2?
49
66 103
112 136
I.
II. III. IV.
v.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
I .. •
x.
XI .
XII.
XIII.
LIST OJ' TABLES
Table Pag
Overse s Students in New Zealand, 1959-19?2 ' Pero ntag R sponse of Survey S ple 11 Ethnic Origin of Sample and Total Population 12 Sex of Sample and Total Population 12 Financial St atus of Sample and Total
Population 12
Malaysian Students at Universities in Malaysia, Si apore, New Zealand and other Commonw alth
Countries, 1962-1971. 18
Reasom for Choosing to Come to N w Zealand 21 Other Members of Family Studying Overseas 24
Relatives Studying Overseas 24
Guarantee of Accommodation 25
Distribution o! Eample by Age and Bex 2?
.:>ome Characteri tics o! Malaysian Student Attending Universities in Malaysia and
Overseas Countries 28
Sex Ratio of Rtudents from the Ten Major Contributing Countries of Overseas Stu ents
to New Zealand, 1971 30
XIV. l ercentage Distribution by Ethnic Origin of Malaysian Students At tending University in New Zealand and in Malaysia and the Total
Population in Malaysia. 31
x v.
Di tribution by Ethnic Origin and linancialSt tu ~2
XVI. Di tribution b7 Et hnic Origin and R ligion 3~
XVII. Financial St tu or Sourc of J'in ce
34 X VIII .
Di tribution by Ethnic Group and Typ otEduc tion 35
n x .
Di tribution ot S ple b7 Geographical OriginOomp red t o Total ft l aian Popul tion in
1970
'6xx .
G ogr phieal Origin ud in ncial St tu 1 XXI . Ge phioal Origin and. · o Origin 41XXI I.
ic Di tribution and St t ot Ori in otSt udent in the S pl 42
XXIII. Sooio-economic Back round 43
v .
Socio- oono c Origin d inancial Bt ua 44Page llV. Distribution and Ethnic Origin of Plal117 ian
50
Student in N w Zealand Universitie ,
1973.
XXVI. Distribution of Total, Local, Over eas, Other Over ea and Malaysian Gtudents in
New Ze land, 1971 52
XXVII. Distribution of Sample by Type of Aecom.mo-
d tion Compared to Local and Overse Students
i n 19?1 54
XXVIII. Foreign Students in Institutions of Higher Education in New Zealand by Fi ld o! Study in 1966 and 1968
XXIX. Cours ot Study
XA • Courses TaKen by Malaysian Student in New Zealand Universities and Students in
57 58
Malaysia and New Zeal and 59
XXXI . Ethnic Distribution and Course of M laysian Jtudents in New Zealand under the Colombo
:Plan, 1971 60
XXXII. Ethnic Distribution and Course of Malaysian f.tudent s in New ~ealand under MARA Schol ar-
ships, 1971 61
X XIII.
XXXIV.
xxxv .
XXXVI. XXXVII. XXXVIII. XXXIX.
XL.
XLI. XL.II.
XLIII . XLIV.
XLV .
Distribution by University Entrance i.iUalif'ication
Year in New Zealand Academic Performance Academic Difficulties Di!fioul tie with :->tudies Club Me b r hip
Fr quency of Attendance
Invitation to H al in New Zealand Ho e Friend hip in w Zealand
D ting Hiss Change Liking
th Cultur l Lite at Ho in Attitudes, Values to the ew Z aland 01
B lie.ta t•
61 62 68
69 69
7071 71
72 72
?~
?4 74
XLVI. ng tor
w
Z alan4 Boo in Gen ral 75XLVII.
llVIII.
Ove 11
s
t i t ctio vi h Ot q in ewz
aland 75Exp
rience of acial
Diacrin
~ion b7Univ reiti••
77
I , Page
; Socio-
XLIX. Relationship between Adjustment and
economic
backg roun~ .
84L. Relation.sbip between Adjustment and
Geographical origin 84
LI . Relationship bet~een Adjustment and
Rel~g~, oue background
85
LII. R~l tionshi p between Adjustment and Ethnic
e>Tigin 86
LIII. Relatic;,~s11ip between hdjustment and
Educati~nal background
87
LIV. Rela~ionship bet ween Adjustment and
Financial status 88
LV. Relationsl.ip between Adjustment and Age 88
I
LVI. Heltltionshi p bet ween Adju.->tmc·nt and Jex 89
LVII. Relationship between Adjustment and Marital
status 89
LVIII. kelationship between Adjustment and
Duration of etay 92
LIX. Relationship bet ween Adjustment and Entrance
qualifi cation 93
LX. Relationship between Adjustment and Course
of study 94
LXI. Relationship between Adjustment and Type
, of accommodation 95
LXII • . Relationship between AdjuAtrnent and ~::12',e
and Location of Unive-sity 96 LXIII . Relationship between Adjustment and
Friendship with New Zealanders 97
LXIV-; Relationship between Adjustment and
Experience of Racial Discrimination 97 LXV. Relationship between Adjustment and Chain
migration 98
LIST OF GURES
FiKU£ • Pag
1. Overseas Stud nt in New Zealand,
1959-1 972
2. Itinerant Migrants - Theoretical Framework for the Btudy o! Malaysian Students in Nev Ze land.
3.
Malaysian students in Universitie in New Zealand and other Cammonwealtn Countries, 1962-19?1.4.
w e
t Malaysia - Geographical Origin of Gtudent in the Sample.5.
F.ast Malay ia - Geographical Ori~in of ')tudent in th~ Sample.6. tlalaysia
7. Distribution o:f Malaysian .tud0nts in :t-.ew Zealand Universities,
19?3 .
8. Residence of Stujents Attending University in New Zeeland, 1971.
9. Malay ian Students in Universities in New Zet.land,
1966-1 9?3 .
10. Diagram ol I portant Facto~ which In!luenc Adjustment.
11. The U-Curve Hypoth ia.
4
?
37 38
39
51
5563
81
