UKM 'Bossku' event put off - Najib laments he rejected but Kit Siang accepted
Najib Abdul Razak today questioned UKM's move in postponing his programme at the university but had qualms welcoming DAP's Lim Kit Siang to its Bangi campus last year.
The former prime minister claimed he had contributed much more to the university compared to Lim.
Najib Abdul Razak today questioned UKM's move in postponing his programme at the university but had qualms welcoming DAP's Lim Kit Siang to its Bangi campus last year.
The former prime minister claimed he had contributed much more to the university compared to Lim.
"If they could accept Lim, why couldn't they accept me? If we were to weigh the contributions, my contributions to UKM was far greater (than Lim's).
"Who set up UKM? It was my father, Abdul Razak (Hussein). Who gave budget allocations to UKM all this while? I did.
"But I am not given the proper treatment under (the new government's) open policy," he said during a meet-and-greet programme with UKM students held at a coffee shop in Bandar Baru Bangi today.
The event was shifted to the cafe after UKM's management postponed the programme which was initially scheduled to be held on campus.
Najib also questioned Education Minister Maszlee Malik's promise of academic freedom after UKM postponed the event.
"The education minister said, 'This is a new era, we will have reforms, we will be more open, we will espouse freedom [...] we will invite Umno and PAS leaders with an open heart.
"What has happened, dear minister? You (Pakatan Harapan) can't fulfil your promises on tolls, to lower fuel prices, to abolish the PTPTN debt, and now you can't keep your promise on (academic) freedom," he said to students during the first part of the meet-and-greet session held outside the UKM mosque in Bangi.
UKM deputy vice-chancellor for student affairs and alumni Roslee Rajikan told The Star that the event had been postponed for security reasons and the Education Ministry was not involved in the decision.
During the event, Najib was asked to comment on the treatment (the postponement) he endured today which was similar to what opposition leaders experienced during the time he was in power.
To this, Najib answered that the University and University Colleges Act (UUCA) then had prevented such activities.
"That time we had not amended the UUCA. But now the UUCA has been amended (to allow political activities), so there is freedom.
"And the Education Minister himself had openly stated that (the government today) practices a new policy of openness and that he welcomed opposition leaders (to speak to university students).
"So, I was just accepting the minister's invitation, but now he rejects me," he said.
During Najib's time as prime minister, there were several instances where opposition leaders were made unwelcome at public universities besides being outright banned.
In October 2014, then-opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim was barred from giving a speech at Universiti Malaya, leading to an incident where student protesters broke through the university's main gates.
In May 2015, a scuffle broke out at International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) after campus security seized a microphone from PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli during a talk on the GST that also featured then Umno Youth exco member Lokman Noor Adam.
Rafizi and Lokman, however, had held a similar talk without incident at UM just two months prior to the incident at IIUM.
RELATED REPORTS
BN will prioritise students' welfare if given chance to rule again, says Najib
UKM pulls plug on Najib event due to security, not politics
UKM students move 'Bossku' event off campus after postponement
Last time Nothing2Hide 1&2 why no b@LL$ to attend ???
Lim Kit Siang is not a thief who refuses to defend himself in Court!
Still so shameless!
Report this comment
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
This action cannot be undone.