At first I thought, no, they would never do that. All that talk of making students sign a 'pledge of good conduct' was just drivel and bonehead political impulsiveness. But they ploughed on.

Then I thought, well, the actual written thing would say a few things about political participation  look below at the one from Malaysia's premier university. Please do not disturb your neighbours by your laughter. How low can we go?

There is plenty of spoof material in the students' Akujanji (good conduct pledge). They are obliged, among other things, to "perpetually improve my disposition" and to comply with "provisions relating toacting in a disorderly behaviour".

After comic relief, though, a deep sense of bewilderment and dismay pervades, not as much due to verbosity and bad grammar as due to the manic control that our universities and our government's wish to wield power over the youth of this nation. This is a tragedy.

This assault on students is a greater travesty to freedom than the civil servants' Akujanji (loyalty pledge) which academics were also made to sign. Civil servants are paid by the state, and are accountable to terms and conditions of their job. They bear professional and moral responsibilities. Their duties do not justify the Akujanji , which is principally an assault on academic freedom, but let us not equate the civil servants' pledge with the students' pledge.

The relationship of students with government is a different matter. They are not employed by the government. Indeed, most are paying fees and are bound by no contract except the Constitution and their university's regulations. They are young and free  all thinking and concerned Malaysians should, too, and get indignant.

To add salt to an intellectual gash, the pledge of Malaysia's premier university is printed in large point, with double-spacing, and is stapled into an eight-page booklet. Trees get chopped so that some egos can get stroked.

Some will surely insist that this is just the way we do it. 'Western-biased' and 'subversive' elements will be blamed for criticising this uniquely Malaysian style. This is our peculiar way of doing things 

  • comply with subsection 15(3) of the University [ sic ] and University Colleges Act 1971 to not express or do anything which may be construed as expressing support, sympathy or opposition to any political party or trade union or as expressing support or sympathy with any unlawful organisation, body or group of persons;

  • comply with the provisions of general discipline as specified in the [University of Malaya] (Discipline of Students) Rules [1999] including 

    • (B) not to cause any detriment to public order, safety or security, morality, decency or discipline;

    (C) not to violate any provision of any written law whether within or outside campus;

  • provisions relating to attendance, restriction on use of test of lecture and plagiarism;

  • provisions relating to appearance for examinations and conduct of students during examinations;

  • provisions relating to assemblies, use of loudspeakers and banners;

  • provisions relating to publication, distribution and circulation of any document;

  • provisions relating to student's activities outside campus and student engaging in occupation;

  • provisions relating to prohibition on gaming, consumption and possession of liquor, acting in a disorderly behavior, possessing obscene articles, possessing and usage of drugs and poison; and

  • provisions relating to cleanliness within campus and student's attire

    • Concluding sections d and e deal with compliance with University traffic and hostel rules and regulations.