No double standard, UM unions tell Ridhuan Tee
Academic staff and the student unions of Universiti Malaya today asked Sinar Harian columnist and former lecturer Ridhuan Tee Abdullah why his own former students did not defend him when he was questioned under the Sedition Act recently.
Ridhuan recently wrote that those who had marched in solidarity with UM law professor Azmi Sharom, who has been charged under the Act, were practising double standards by not voicing out against his questioning by the police.
Academic staff and the student unions of Universiti Malaya today asked Sinar Harian columnist and former lecturer Ridhuan Tee Abdullah why his own former students did not defend him when he was questioned under the Sedition Act recently.
Ridhuan recently wrote that those who had marched in solidarity with UM law professor Azmi Sharom, who has been charged under the Act, were practising double standards by not voicing out against his questioning by the police.
In a joint statement, the UM Academic Staff Association (PKAUM) and the Universiti Malaya Students Association (PMUM) hit back at Ridhuan for "sulking" about the lack of support accorded to him.
Those who had marched in solidarity with Azmi at UM, they pointed out, were mostly Azmi’s students, former students and also fellow colleagues from UM itself.
"It will be more fair if Ridhuan asks why his own students did not seem to care when their lecturer was investigated. Are his column readers and his students not appreciative of the principles of justice?" the statement asked.
It also stressed that Ridhuan was merely questioned, while Azmi has already been charged with sedition.
Meanwhile, in another statement, Gerakan vice-president criticised Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) for uploading a video to rally support for its president Abdullah Zaik ( right ), who is facing a sedition charge.
Ashraduddin Ahmad said by doing so, the NGO was "undermining course of law" by "attempting self-legitimisation".
He said the video was "done in bad taste" and was a "detriment" to the nation.
"I call on Isma to stop making incendiary remarks or postings.
"They must cease adopting the siege mentality and ethno-centrism, but instead show pragmatic and collaborative participation in nation-building," Asharuddin added.
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