INTERVIEW When Fahmi Zainol pressed ahead with a rally in Universiti Malaya deemed illegal by its administration on Monday,  the student was well aware he was risking his scholarship or worse, expulsion.

But the Public Service Department scholar said he believed in an ideal worth more than what he had to lose.

In an interview with Malaysiakini , Fahmi ( right ) made no apologies for organising the speech by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim despite being on government scholarship.

"This (scholarship) is the rakyat's money, they are from fathers and mothers who work hard, youths who just graduated, they are the ones who helped me, not the government," said the third child of six siblings.

The final year degree student in management on policy and social environment quipped that even if his scholarship was revoked, the funds had already been disbursed, but said he thought the government would be open about his actions.

Likewise, Fahmi said, he was positive that the university would not expel him but in the event it does, he was confident that his fellow student activists would back him.

"I believe if action is taken against me, my friends will be there to help me. Perhaps there might be demonstrations," said the 23-year-old.

However, Fahmi stressed that he was not guaranteeing protests but any expulsion of students for upholding freedom of speech would attract attention and create awareness.

He said he organised Anwar's talk in the hope that it would open the rakyat’s mind, particularly the youths in the university who have become accustomed to the university's partisanship in only allowing government figures to speak.

'I was surprised at Anwar's action'

Anwar's speech on Monday, Oct 27, which was attended by some 2,000 students and supporters, came just a day before his sodomy appeal at the Federal Court, a charge he maintains is politically motivated.

However, Fahmi, who is the university's student council president, said the speech was not about Anwar's personal life and the opposition leader was invited in his capacity as a member of the university alumni.

“If we look at his speech, he did not touch much about his sodomy case, most of it was about freedom of speech, the quality of UM in the past and its history," said the Penangite.

Anwar had, after his speech that night, raised Fahmi's hand and hailed him as a rising leader, but the latter denied that he was an icon for students nor does he want to be one.

"I strongly deny that I am an icon, there were many other students and friends who were involved in making the event possible but perhaps they were not highlighted by the media.

"I was quite surprised when Anwar raised my hand but I couldn't just withdraw it, I respect him like a grandfather or a father, I respect my elders," he said.

Fahmi said prior to this, he had never met Anwar in person and it was the university's student council exco members who had made contact with the opposition leader for the speech.

He added that Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, who alleged Anwar sodomised him, was not invited as he was not a member of the UM alumni.

The speech that night had proven controversial when a crowd broke  through the university gate after its management attempted to block the event from taking place.

Students' didn't condone gate storming

Fahmi said breaking into the university was not condoned as the student council had decided to hold the rally outside UM's Kuala Lumpur gate if the management was adamant against it.

However, he said, once the gate was forced open, the crowd naturally marched to the original venue at Dewan Tunku Canselor.

"I don't believe any UM student was involved in breaking in, it could be other supporters in the crowd," he said.

He added that the incident had been exaggerated, for the gate would have fallen if it was stormed, but only the chain around the gate was broken.

Despite the controversy, Fahmi, who is passionate about the student movement, believes that the majority of the crowd that night were students, which he said was a good sign of the revival of the movement.

Fahmi had, despite the disapproval of the university, changed the student's council official name from Majlis Perwakilan Pelajar UM (MPPUM) to Persatuan Mahasiwa UM (PMUM).

"If we look at UM's history, the students council original name was PMUM. It was after the introduction of the Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA) was that the name was changed to MPPUM.

"We have never agreed with the UUCA, so why should we used the name MPPUM?" he said.

The UUCA had been widely criticised for restricting students' freedom and had been credited with a decline in the student movement which was active through the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Fahmi said he intends to remain active in the student movement scene as he will be furthering his study in political science.

He added that his fellow student activists and himself  have made plans for the future, which they are not prepared to reveal as yet, but hen is confident that  the student movement is here to stay.

Part 1: I admire Dr M, says UM rebel Fahmi

This interview was jointly conducted by ADRIAN WONG and ANNE MUHAMMAD

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