About a dozen Internet discussion groups have come out in support of a Universiti Malaya lecturer who was asked by the university administration to explain her Internet postings on the controversy surrounding SJK (C) Damansara in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

The groups, including Pahlawan, Berita Malaysia, Suqiu-public forum and AdilNet, carried messages that called upon UM vice-chancellor Dr Anuar Zaini Md Zain to withdraw his order for associate professor Chia Oai Peng of the Literature and Social Science Faculty to explain her e-mail postings on the issue in a discussion group last month.

A number of the university's alumni members have sent several copies of a standard letter to Anuar in a show of support for Chia.

They expressed shock and anger at the university's action against Chia, saying that it was uncalled for and that it was unnecessary for her to show cause.

"What has happened to our university? Whatever has happened to the nobility of purpose of our university as the champion of ideals and voice of reason for the community, watching out for the community and fulfilling the intellectual's role of guarding the public interest," read the letter.

"What Prof Chia did was exactly that; she was discharging her responsibility as a public intellectual, we all should applaud, salute and celebrate her actions."

The letter, which is available on most of these discussion groups, also stated that Anuar has the responsibility to carry on the university's proud traditions, and his action was regretted by thousands of UM alumni.

Justified postings

There is also a posting on the Suqiu-public forum group which called on members to forward a standard e-mail to Anuar.

The e-mail read, "Please withdraw your (directive for a) show-cause letter (from) Prof Dr Chia Oai Peng to explain her e-mail postings on the Damansara Chinese school issue. It is absolutely unnecessary as it is an open secret (that) SJK (C) Damansara was approved for relocation to (the) BU3 (Bandar Utama) school."

Quoting an article in malaysiakini last Monday, [#1] Lecturer asked to show cause for Internet postings [/#] (March 5), the e-mail added, "Perhaps you can't read the Chinese newspapers. Read (the) article in English at www.malaysiakini.com. Perhaps you should ask why this was not exposed in the English or Malay newspapers instead."

Meanwhile, the Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Graduate Youth Association today also expressed regret over the university's action against Chia.

The association's chairperson Chew Chong Sing said in a press statement that the Education Ministry was abusing its power by enforcing unreasonable laws and regulations against those who spoke out on certain issues.

"No matter what the opinion is, whether in support of or against the government, every staff and student should have the basic right to freedom of opinion.

"The government should therefore set up an education commission to protect this basic right," Chew said.

He added that Chia sent those postings in her capacity as an individual and citizen of the country. "She also has proof of what she said in those messages. They were not baseless," Chew said.

Government policies

Chia was asked to show cause for her actions in a letter from Anuar dated Feb 6.

Anuar said that the education minister's special officer had informed him of Chia's Internet postings.

He told Chia that according to the Statutory Bodies Act 2000 (Disciplinary and Surcharge) (Akta Badan-badan Berkanun 2000, Tatatertib dan Surcaj), Regulation 18 (1), a university officer cannot make public statements, whether oral or written, that criticise government policies without written approval from the education minister.

In addition, an officer cannot make any public statements that can bring embarrassment to the government.

According to Anuar, Chia's statements touched on government policies, hence they could be regarded to have violated the regulation mentioned.

Contentious letter

Chia, a former member of the Parent-Teacher Association of the Damansara school, told malaysiakini that she posted her messages to correct some erroneous information on the school controversy.

She also explained how the initial site in Bandar Utama for the relocated Damansara school was 'hijacked' by a number of influential individuals and given to Puay Chai (II).

Chia, however, believed her open letter to major Chinese dailies on Jan 15, was the catalyst to the action taken against her by the university.

Entitled 'Abel and Cain' and published in Sin Chew Jit Poh , it explained that the Education Ministry had approved the allocation of one of the six newly-built national primary schools to SJK (C) Damansara in early April last year.

But a week later, Deputy Education Minister Hon Choon Kim announced to the press that the new school has been given to Puay Chai, she wrote.

Chia argued that Puay Chai (II) should hand over its Bandar Utama building to SJK (C) Damansara and occupy the new building being built in Tropicana instead of the latter.

After the publication of the letter, supporters of the original Damansara school have shifted the blame for the fiasco surrounding its relocation from the school's board of governors to the Education Ministry.