We refer to the Malaysiakini report Varsity urged to drop charges against trio .

The Jaringan Rakyat Tertindas (JERIT) condemns the action of Universiti Utara Malaysia in charging students Choo Kok Wei, Medecci Linell Repong and Tengku Mohd Hasrul Tengku Malek for merely practicing their rights as humans and responsible students in voicing their dissatisfaction pertaining to students’ rights.

The action of the university to charge the students under the Universities and University Colleges Act (Uuca) is clear attempt to silence dissenting voices and to suppress the freedom of speech of the students.

The reason for charging Choo Kok Wei and Medecci Linell Repong is because they initiated an online protest petition to protest the increase in campus bus fares.

Is this action a crime in Malaysia? Is it a crime to express your dissatisfaction on an issue affecting yourself?

What is this country coming to? Is there no freedom to voice out about on issues affecting us? Is the university a jail where students cannot voice out anything but have to just follow, follow follow?

When someone tries to open his or her mouth, the Uuca is dangled in front of them to silence them. If this continues, the country’s graduates will be just mere followers and not thinkers.

We will be producing just passive citizens who would not be able to think for themselves or the nation. Is this what we want?

It is time the Uuca is abolished so that it cannot be used to restrict students independence and human rights.

Uuca is a political tool for the university authorities and the government to control students on campus and to not allow them to move freely.

Jerit would like to remind the university authorities that the freedom of expression is stated in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and Article 10 of the federal constitution.

Jerit calls upon UUM authorities to immediately drop all charges against the students. We would also like to renew our call to the government to abolish the Uuca immediately.

The writer is attached to the Jerit secretariat.