COMMENT Monash University was established in 1958 as Victoria’s second largest university after Melbourne University.

Since its early years, Monash’s students have been engaged in social activism. From around 1965 to early 1970, Monash was in fact the centre of student radicalism in Australia.

Students rallied in protest against Australia’s decision to be involved in the Vietnam War. There were numerous blockades and sit-ins by Monash students in the past, which included among others the ‘Monash Siege’.

This event is to be remembered as one extraordinary event over the dismissal of former Australian prime minister Gough Whitlam, which forced the succeeding prime minister, Malcolm Fraser, to hide in a basement at the Alexander Theatre during his visit to Monash.

Even till today, the Monash University Student Association (Musa) is a very powerful student organisation. Musa is independent of the university administration. The staff cannot interfere with the students’ decisions on a lot of things.

Years ago, when I was working with my alma mater at the Malaysian campus, I raised the concern over the use of the name ‘Monster’ for the student magazine. ‘Monster’ simply means Monash Student Editorial, but I did not like the idea of parents of prospective students asking what kind of monsters we were creating at Monash.

I remember clearly my immediate superior then, the pro-vice-chancellor himself, reprimanded me: “Lay your hands off the Musa.” It has always been the university’s tradition to allow its student associations to remain independent of the university’s administration.

Therefore, I am truly shocked when I read news how the current registrar, Susheela Nair, could threaten disciplinary proceedings against any student found to be participating in any illegal gathering.

It reminds me of the invited guest to a local university, Sharifah Zohra Jabeen, who talked down on one of the students, KS Bawani, who raised some important questions. This video clip alone has hit 1,414,328 views.

Since when has Monash descended so low that it is now seen as threatening students who want to participate in a street rally? Since when can the registrar or even the pro vice chancellor meddle into student affairs?

In the first place, I wonder if Susheela had even consulted the University’s vice-chancellery before the email was issued. If she had not consult the university, Susheela should bow out immediately. As an alumnus, I too cannot tolerate someone in her position to threaten the students.

Even Umno’s information chief Annuar Musa claimed that Umno does not have the right to stop party members from attending the red-shirt rally on Saturday. We all know that the red-shirts are out there to create problems, and as one writer, Marcus Lee of Universiti Malaya pointed out, its leader Jamal Md Yusof should be a case under Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).

Identified as the democratic right of the people

Who is Susheela then to threaten the students for joining a peaceful demonstration which even National Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) chairperson Razali Ismail has identified as the democratic right of the people?

Razali has quoted Article 10 of the Federal Constitution to show that it is the right of the people to peacefully assemble; however, he noted that those holding counter-rallies to “intimidate” others from peacefully assembling are not protected under the Federal Constitution.

What I therefore find amusing is that Annuar should restrain Umno members from joining the red-shirts, while Susheela should encourage the students to go for the Bersih rally based on Suhakam’s stance.

Previously, a pro-vice-chancellor, Robin Pollard was involved in barring non-Muslim students from having religious activities on campus. Only Muslims were allowed to carry out their prayers in the prayer room.

The Kiwi professor, who is a resident of Australia, claimed that this was the university’s policy, and I had to personally write to the then-vice-chancellor to query whether there was such a change in policy. It was proven that Pollard had lied, as it was never the university’s policy to ban religious activism on campus.

Besides, he also claimed that because the Bandar Sunway campus is located in Malaysia, it has to follow the law of the land. For that, I also pointed out to him that in Malaysia we have the National Principles known as the Rukunegara, where the first principle is ‘Belief in God’.

Therefore, Susheela’s email should not have been sent out before referring to the governing body of the student associations in Australia. I am sure if she did, she would have received a lot of brickbats from the student union in Monash Australia, instead of getting it from the Malaysian public.

One hundred and sixty one comments and over 5,600 shares on Facebook for this article is enough to suggest to the vice-chancellery that stern actions have to be taken against any of the university staff who tried to intimidate the students.

In the event that any of the students are suspended, I am sure that parents too will object against the university’s decision, and Susheela’s rationale for threatening students would not hold against the tides of nearly 60 years of the university’s tradition.

STEPHEN NG is an ordinary citizen with an avid interest in following political developments in the country since 2008.