COMMENT | What does our culture say about calling out wrongdoing and disagreeing with something, such as opposing corruption? Does it say we need to sugarcoat our words to lessen the blow, as if we are afraid of offending people?

For example, was it wrong when Universiti Malaya student Ummi Umairah Bakhit expressed how she felt at a Higher Education Ministry-backed dialogue that people who support someone guilty of corruption are stupid?

Was she supposed to be more polite, choose nicer words and only subtly hint at the issue, instead of just being direct? Would that have been more our culture?

With all due respect, I don’t think so. Why should someone who has every right to express her opinion against corruption and abuse of power be more “kias-kias” (speak figuratively)? If someone is angry, then the expression should be anger.

Ummi is a young student with so much at stake in relation to the future of the country and how it is governed. Understandably, she feels strongly about this issue. She and her generation will be inheriting all of this.

She is not stepping out of line because the country needs more people like her, brave enough to demand that our society be better and to call out the bad attitude of defending wrongdoing.

We do not want to discourage the youth from being passionately idealistic. In fact, that youthful vigour and spunk, or what the Malay term “darah muda” (young blood) refers to, is exactly what we want from the youth because their energy is what will bring change.

Just a reminder

What Ummi (above) said should be seen as a reminder to those in power that they won’t stand for wrongdoing. It should not be seen as a challenge, except against those who are guilty, as the Malay saying goes, “Siapa makan cili, dia rasa pedas” (who eats chilli, will taste the spiciness).

Even during the dialogue itself, the panellists, consisting of former minister Khairy Jamaluddin, Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari and Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi, responded positively to her statement. They lauded her statement.

Later on, Deputy Higher Education Minister Adam Adli Abdul Halim, who was himself a student activist back in the day, also defended Ummi. He stressed that students should be given freedom to challenge and question authority.

Educational institutions need to be safe spaces for our youth to voice their concerns. It should be an environment that encourages debate and discourse, as this will facilitate learning and education.

Adam said students need to be moulded into independent thinkers who can lead the country, not mindless followers and yes-men. He said that his ministry will continue to uphold and defend students’ freedom.

Empty rhetoric?

All this is also in line with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s recent statement where he said that there is no wrong in students criticising him or the government. He added that it is the responsibility of the leaders to respond to criticism.

A few months ago, he said the government plans to fully repeal the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 as he wants students to have greater freedom in democratic participation.

Just like Adam, Anwar was also a prominent student leader in the 1970s at Universiti Malaya. Back in the day, he had also been detained by the authorities under the now-repealed Internal Security Act.

Let’s hope the leaders today stay true to their word, and it does not just remain empty rhetoric. All of us must realise that to have a progressive and mature society, we need to let our youth progress and mature as well.

Our youth need to be free to criticise and question policies and current affairs because they have a right to develop the country that they will live in and govern. They need to be able to do that without fear of backlash or intimidation, and without having to worry about withholding their tongue or sugarcoating in fear of “offending” people.

ZAN AZLEE is a writer, documentary filmmaker, journalist and academic. Visit fatbidin.com to view his work.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.

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