YOURSAY 'So ethics and morality must be sacrificed to please their political masters for fear of losing their education licence?'

Southern College head apologises over BN event

Cala: What is so complex about society and politics? Dr Thock Kiah Wah (Southern University College president) pleads for calm and understanding over the molesting of two students by the "general public" at a function held in the college.

First, his reluctance to publicly apologise to the student body is probably because he wants to keep the issue local.

Second, Thock is a pragmatist, his performance depends on the cooperation of the Umno-led BN regime on matters concerning the recognition of degrees and funding some of the college's activities.

Thock's position is difficult. He has to weigh the college's short-term interests (students' welfare) versus long-term interests (college's welfare).

The incident took place during an official function attended by BN chief Najib Razak. To berate the offenders for molesting two of his female students is not respecting his own guests (Najib and his BN cohorts).

On the other hand, not to take an appropriate action by making a police report is to invite similar incidents in the future. The incident is a test of Thock's wisdom. Between the two polemical course of action, what will he do?

TehTarik: This is a classical example of the rot that has crept into our educational institutions. The licensing of colleges is dependent on the patronage of Umno-BN politicians.

I will not be the least surprised if kickbacks are needed for the college licence to be approved. Hence, the proliferation of hundreds of colleges, which employ sub-standard lecturers. The result is the mass production of half-baked graduates, who are unable to get jobs.

So when your political Umno-BN master demands the use of your facility (probably for free) you will have to relent.

However, you will anger the same Umno-BN master if you allow the opposition to use your premises. Umno-BN corruption has indeed permeated all segments of society.

LittleGiant: Problems occur when politicians crave for support and want to show off their strength, surrounded by unduly large number of 'supporters'. Most of the time, these 'supporters' have no clue of what the function is all about and are not bothered to maintain decorum.

They follow their 'leader' to the function because they were instructed to do so and were promised incentives. BN with its money power has no problem importing 'supporters' to its functions, especially now with the election campaign in top gear.

The scene becomes unruly when crowd control is poor and protocol is not respected. The management of Southern University College should have anticipated the crowd that followed Najib, the caretaker PM, to the function.

It appears that the function was organised in a hurried manner and protocol requirements were compromised. Some BN supporters probably took advantage of the 'situation' and misbehaved. Can the college management regain the trust of its students and their parents?

James1067: Why must a message be sent to the future generation that ethics and morality must be sacrificed to please their political masters for fear of losing your licence? It was good that the students stood their ground and righteousness shall prevail in the end.

Ferdtan: Thock, if I were you I don't know where to hide your face. After this incident, how are you going to face your students?

If you have any integrity, you would have come out immediately after the complaints from your students to openly rebuke the bad hats among the BN crowd.

But no, instead you initially refused to apologise to the students, giving patronising statements that the students do not understand the complexities involving society and politics.

In fact, it is you who are naïve and should learn from your young students about leadership, integrity, humility and justice. Thock, you have fail as an educator.

Swipenter: I encourage students activism but "mat rempit-ism" must be tackled seriously. We must sack the Umno-dominated government to bring law and order back to our streets and country.

How can the mat rempits roam and take over our roads and highways without fear of the authorities? Of course, we know the present Umno Youth chief and the home minister openly lend their support to these mat rempits.

Mat rempit-ism is a symptom of something is seriously wrong with our society. Has anyone in our higher institutions of learning and government studied this phenomenon and come out with the causes and propose some solutions to this social menace?

AnakJohor1920: The Southern College president's apology does not seem sincere enough. He should seriously consider resigning if he still has any dignity and integrity left in him.

Why, in the first place, should he allow such a political event to take place in the campus grounds? He should promote good education values to all and stay clear of any corrupt politics.

OMG!!: These Umno samsengs and their leaders should apologise, too, instead of just asking the victims to lodge a police report which they know very well that the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) wouldn't bother to investigate.

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