A proposed dialogue between Umno Youth and the Action Committee to Save SRJK (C) Damansara has been called off indefinitely by the former who said they were not free to meet.

A source told malaysiakini that Gerakan Youth had tried to bring Umno Youth and the action committee together to discuss the future of the controversy-roiled Damansara school.

Selangor Gerakan Youth chief Lau Yeng Teng yesterday informed the committee members that Umno Youth would like to meet with them, but without DAP's presence. The meeting, which was not to be disclosed to the public, was scheduled for Thursday morning in a hotel.

Gerakan has previously acted as a mediator between Umno Youth and Suqiu to resolve accusations that the Chinese lobby group had questioned Malay special rights in its 17-point elections appeals.

Umno Youth had earlier sent a memorandum to Education Minister Musa Mohamad asking the ministry to stay firm with its decision of relocating the school.

The source told malaysiakini that residents of the Damansara New Village hoped Umno Youth executive members would come to see themselves the situation of the 70-year-old school.

"The villagers largely felt that Umno Youth should come to the school and talk to the villagers. There's no need to hold a meeting in a hotel," said the source, who added that the villagers wished the solution of the school to be transparently dealt with.

In January, students of the 70-year-old school were directed by the Education Ministry to temporarily transfer to Puay Chai (II) - a few kilometres away - while awaiting the completion of the new building in Tropicana.

The authorities have been unable to provide a clear explanation as to what would happen to the historic school and its abandoned site. The majority of the students have moved to Puay Chai (II) but 74 have stayed put and are continuing their classes at a neighbourhood temple.

Memo to Suhakam

Meanwhile, the Malaysia Youth and Students Democratic Movement (Dema) and Inter-Varsity Council (IVC) today handed over a memorandum to Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) to protest against the suppression of Assoc Prof Dr Chia Oai Peng's academic freedom.

"We hope Suhakam will look into the case of Dr Chia and review the Statutory Bodies Act 2000, This case exposes how academicians and civil servants have been denied the freedom of expression," said IVC secretary-general Ng Wei Aik.

Suhakam assistant secretary Choo Eng Hong accepted the memorandum, saying that the case will be looked into.

Malaysiakini reported last Monday that Chia, of the Literature and Social Science Faculty, received a show-cause letter from university vice-chancellor Prof Dr Anuar Zaini Md Zain for her e-mail postings on the Damansara Chinese school issue in a discussion group last month ([#1] Lecturer asked to show cause for Internet postings [/#], March 5)

Anuar told Chia in the show-cause letter that her statements had touched on government policies, hence they could be regarded to have violated a little known regulation called Statutory Bodies Act 2000 (Disciplinary and Surcharge).

A storm of protest on the Internet has since emerged in support of Chia, upholding the right of academicians to discourse on pertinent issues of the day and condemning the reproof Chia received from the university authorities ([#2] Outpouring of support on the Net for vocal don[/#]

, March 8).