Student activists have blasted Universiti Malaya's (UM) vice-chancellor for his continued silence over the sedition charge against law lecturer Azmi Sharom.

The Malaysian Youth and Students’ Democratic Movement (Dema) complained three days have passed since Azmi was charged, yet there has been no news from vice-chancellor Mohd Amin Jalaludin ( right ).

“We would like to express our disappointment with Mohd Amin Jalaludin's failure to speak up against state interference with academic freedom,” said group secretary for national affairs Lau Yi Leong in a statement today.

“While students and the public are actively campaigning for academic freedom, there has been a deafening silence from the University of Malaya Vice Chancellor’s Office on this matter.”   

Dema pointed out the vice-chancellor is responsible for protecting the university's freedom.

“He (Amin Jalaludin), together with other members of the senate, is also responsible for the protection of academic freedom in the university, as per Section 17(2A)(h) of the constitution”

“The vice-chancellor’s inaction in this case has cast doubt on his ability to defend the principle of academic freedom as the ‘soul of a university’ and to secure the students’ right to unbiased education.”

Azmi ( left ) on Tuesday claimed trial to sedition over remarks he made in a news report on the ongoing Selangor menteri besar saga.

He is one of the latest caught in the sedition dragnet that has thus far dragged in a number of opposition politicians.

Dema urged the vice-chancellor to declare his position on the matter immediately and demand for the Attorney-General’s Chambers to drop the charges against the lecturer.

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