Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) vice-chancellor Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar has urged tertiary students not to be “used” by PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim.

Responding to the PKR-led Kempen Bebas Anwar 901 (Free Anwar Campaign 901) planned in the lead-up to Anwar’s sodomy trial verdict on Jan 9, Sahol Hamid issued a “strict warning” to UiTM students against joining it.

“I am giving a strict warning to all UiTM students to not get involved in any gatherings which have the agenda to ruin the country’s peace.

“UiTM has 200,000 students, and one or two may get involved (in the campaign), so I hope they will have a good think before doing anything which is against the law,” he was reported to have said by Utusan Malaysia today.

NONE Speaking to reporters at an event on campus yesterday, Sahol Hamid ( left ) added that UiTM students should know how to weigh their decisions in accordance to the law.

He also reminded the students, whom he said are treated like his own children, that illegal assemblies often ended up being demonstrations that cannot be controlled.

The VC had previously backed a student demonstration at Putrjaya, purportedly to show Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak that he is loved, saying it was for the sake of “Malay unity”.

The students also handed over a memorandum urging Deputy Higher Education Minister Saifuddin Abdullah to resign.

UPSI 16-hour demo a sham?

Meanwhile, the Umno-owned daily also reported that a 16-hour sit-in planned for Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris this New Year’s eve is merely “latching onto” a programme held by the university.

Citing unnamed UPSI students, the newspaper reported that this was the only way the student NGO, Solidariti Mahasiswa Malaysia, will be able to get 1,500 students to attend their sit-in at the Perak varsity.

smm pc 070906 banner “Based on our information, we know that SMM with no more than 50 members carrying banners will organise the sit-in.

“They are expected to claim that they received support from 1,500 students protesting against the Universities and University Colleges Act... when they are only latching onto UPSI’s programme to fulfil politically-inclined goals, which are believed to be spearheaded by certain parties,” the source was quoted as saying.

SMM is planning a sit-in in support of UPSI student leader Adam Adli Abdul Halim, who received flak when he took down a flag bearing Najib’s image at the Umno headquarters.

Adam Adli, with several hundred other students, had marched to the PWTC to hand over a memorandum to Saifuddin on academic freedom.

The student leader is currently facing an inquiry by his university for his actions, but has since refused to apologise to the premier.