MP SPEAKS After having made itself an international laughing stock for banning a talk organised by the student council and subsequently imposing a campus lockdown, the University of Malaya (UM) administration has again caused further damage to its reputation by punishing the students involved.

 

In fact, the UM administration has brought not only much embarrassment to itself but also to the nation.

 

Universities should not be just a place for one to gain technical skills and knowledge, but where one can develop a critical mind and learn the truth; and hence, better contribute to society upon graduation.

 

It is indeed sad that the UM administration has failed to uphold academic freedom, as without it, there is no way UM or any Malaysian university can play their role as critic and conscience of society.  

 

The UM administrators’ decisions and actions have also proven that while times and students have changed, they have not.

 

UM administrators should know that the students will refuse to be treated like children and are prepared to fight for academic freedom.

 

It will therefore be unjust and futile for them to employ unfair tactics and punishments to deny the academic freedom the students ought to have.

 

The courage displayed by the students in fighting for academic freedom is commendable and deserve public support.

 

Courageous lot

Last night, DAP parliamentary leader Lim Kit Siang and his political secretary Dyana Sofia and I visited the Occupy UM students to express our solidarity.

 

In my speech, I praised them for their courage and told them that people like them who are prepared to fight courageously against injustice and what they believe in, are the hope of the nation.

 

Vince Tan ( right ), secretary-general of the group Progressive University of Malaya, has said in a statement two days ago that UM has a history of being selective in the speakers it allows on campus.

 

He said that former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad was given a hero’s welcome at the Law Faculty early this year where he gave a lecture on poverty but former Bar Council chairperson Datuk Ambiga Sreenevasan, was prevented from speaking at the Law Career Convention, where she was supposed to speak on public interest litigation.

 

The brave students are not just fighting for themselves or against the charges and punishments imposed on the UM8, they are also fighting for academic freedom which ought to exist in a university.

 

I wish to call on Malaysians to support the courageous fight of the students.  

TERESA KOK is MP for Seputeh and DAP national vice-chairperson.