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Are the police trying to create a ‘white terror’?

Universiti Malaya’s Students' Council (PMUM) and Universiti Malaya Association of New Youth (Umany) are indignant and condemns the police who is trying to create white terror, which is intending to stifle the dissidents, in response to the investigation for the remarks of a lecturer of Universiti Malaya.

Recently, a senior lecturer of UM, Dr Khoo Ying Hooi, is being investigated over an article questioning the police over a series of arrests following the#KitaLawan rally. Dr Khoo, a columnist with The Malaysian Insider, is being hauled up for investigation under Section 500 of the Penal Code for defamation over the article, ‘Who owns the police?’, which appeared in the news portal on March 16.

UM’s Students’ Council and Umany are by no means satisfied with the investigation due to two reasons:

Firstly, the police is suppressing academic freedom.

We deem that when the police use Section 500 of the Penal Code to investigate Dr Khoo’s remark, the academic freedom of our country is severely infringed. Dr Khoo, as an academician at the Department of International and Strategic Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, has her specialty in conducting research in the field of human rights in Malaysia, which certainly includes the freedom of assembly enjoyed by the people.

The police should understand that it is the duty of an academician, hence they are not entitled to investigate a lecturer’s remark, just because the content that does not favour of the police’s image. Also, the academicians are not only publishing their researches that are aligned with the vested interests of the government or the police.

The police’s overkill will definitely stifle the spirit of criticism in university, as we are not allowed to criticise more the government and the police at all. How should the academicians continue with their researches, when criticising equals to wrongdoing?

Secondly, the police have fallen to be a tool, utilised by the government to squelch any dissenting voices.

UM’s Students’ Council and Umany strongly criticise the police over the abuse of power, which is intentionally creating a ‘white terror’ to wither the academicians. After a few cases happened, which are: Professor Dr Ridzuan, the former dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, as well as the director of Umcedel had been forced to resign, Associate Professor of the Law Faculty Dr Azmi Sharom, was charged under sedition act due to his comment on the perak constitutional crisis, and now Dr Khoo was investigated as she questioned the police in her writing.

All these incidents portrayed clearly that the government could not accommodate the dissent voices in our society. The police keep endorsing the Barisan National’s government and abusing the power that is consented by the people, to university students, academicians as well as activists.

UM’s Students’ Council and Umany are indignant that the police have been refusing to accept criticism and incredulity. Lastly, we urge the inspector-general of police to resign immediately and to be responsible for his disgraceful action of suppressing the academic freedom.

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