Newly-elected Persatuan Mahasiswa Universiti Malaya (PMUM) members vow to uphold former president Fahmi Zainol's fight for freedom of expression.

Its vice-president II Kalaivaanan Murty said the student council will not give in to pressure and it will continue with the reform activities that are taking place.

“I am sure if we are committed and consistent, we can make changes.

"I think what is lacking among the students is their awareness on constitutional rights, and that is our primary focus,” he told reporters in UM today.

The new council members include PMUM president Ammar Atan, VPII Kalaivanaan Murty, VP III Wan Nur Syamimi, and deputy president Teh Wei Loon, who were voted in during campus election on Dec 4.

At least 68 percent of the entire student body in UM voted during the student elections ( above ).

 

However, the new leadership feels the percentage should be higher.

'A more moderate scope'

Kalaivanaan, who is a second-year law student, said that the current crop of leaders may differ slightly in terms of approach compared to their predecessors.

 

“We will do things with a more moderate scope. I applaud what Fahmi (and the other council members) have done to promote freedom of speech and expression.

 

“Everything must be done within the constitutional space. That is the right way,” Kalai said later when met on the grounds of Occupy UM .

He said that the Occupy UM 'encampment' will go on until disciplinary action on seven students are retracted.

Recently, two students, including former PMUM president Fahmi Zainol, were suspended and fined, four were sentenced to fines, while one was issued a warning.

The students faced disciplinary action for organising a campus rally on Oct 27 which featured opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim as a key speaker.

Occupy UM had set up camp just outside the campus gate on the Kuala Lumpur side on Wednesday to pressure the country's oldest tertiary institution to lift punishment on the seven activists.

The student-led movement, however, was told by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) to dismantle their tents yesterday.