Sharifah Zohra Jabeen Syed Shah Miskin - dubbed ‘Kak Listen - will not be invited to speak at any event held in Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), its vice-chancellor Mohamed Mustafa Ishak says.

The ban on the Suara Wanita 1Malaysia (SW1M) chairperson comes in the wake of the “listen, listen, listen” controversy at a forum held at the university on Dec 8 last year.

“If we had known that the forum would create such a huge controversy, the university would not have approved the activity,” Mustafa is quoted as saying in Oriental Daily News today.

However, Mustafa denied a claim by law student KS Bawani in an interview with Malaysiakini that students from some of UUM's residential colleges had been forced - under the threat of expulsion - to attend the forum organised by SW1M.

NONE Bawani had also claimed that the forum was intended to brainwash students into supporting the government.

Calling this a lie, Mustafa advised Bawani not to create public pressure that could tarnish UUM's image.

“Bawani was lying. That is her view (that students were forced to attend). These (allegations) are all rubbish,” Oriental Daily News questes him as saying, and adding that UUM students have freedom of expression.

He clarified that the university encourages students to participate in extra-curricular activities to accumulate credit hours, but does not compel them to do so.

Mustafa also pointed out that Bawani is a political activist and that her actions and statements could be motivated by political interest.

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