Better to meet UM head over 'racist remarks' - Maszlee tells student union veep

• Updated to include a statement by the Universiti Malaya Student Union.

Education Minister Maszlee Malik has advised Universiti Malaya Student Union vice-president Yap Wen Qing to meet with the vice-chancellor (VC) to air his grievances.

He said Yap should do this instead of issuing press statements on UM vice-chancellor Abdul Rahim Hashim’s allegedly racist statements at Sunday’s Malay Dignity Congress.

The student union representative had claimed that Abdul Rahim said the change in government after GE14 had eliminated Malay political dominance and Malay privileges were being questioned.

Abdul Rahim is also alleged to have warned others not to challenge the social contract.

“That is his opinion and I would suggest he (Yap) meets the VC himself, rather than making a media statement.

“He should meet and voice out his dissatisfaction with the VC directly.

“I believe the VC is a very open-minded man. He can listen to his students,” Maszlee said.

He was speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

Asked whether he would also ask the vice-chancellor to meet with the students, Maszlee replied: “I’m asking the students to meet the VC.”

However, Maszlee gave his assurance that no action would be taken against students over this matter.

“We (the Pakatan Harapan government) are not the same as BN,” he quipped.

The student union representative had yesterday called on Abdul Rahim (photo) to resign over his alleged racist remarks.

At the same time, Yap claimed that the vice-chancellor had been unable to solve the financial crisis and the welfare of students, comprising all races and religious beliefs.

UM was also alleged to have forced every residential college to send Malay students to attend the congress.

Meanwhile, the Universiti Malaya Student Union in a separate statement clarified that all official union statements were only published on its official Facebook page.

This is believed to be in reference to the statement issued by Yap yesterday.

The union body added while it had no objections to Abdul Rahim’s participation in the Malay Dignity Congress, the vice-chancellor should also accord “maximum attention” to other issues facing students.

“[...] the Universiti Malaya Student Union has no objections (to Abdul Rahim’s participation) as it celebrates the principles of freedom of association and assembly.

“Even so, in attending congresses like these, we propose he also accords maximum attention to issues regarding student welfare, increasing the quality of infrastructure, solving the issue of the UM shuttle bus and senior students placement crisis as well as using his experience as a known figure to increase university income,” the union said.

Penang Deputy Chief Minister II and state education exco P Ramasamy also commented on the matter, questioning Maszlee’s advice to Yap to meet with Abdul Rahim.

He said this was as Yap was not seeking the vice-chancellor’s resignation over internal university matters, but over the latter’s speech at the congress.

“I am not sure what problem is there to be resolved. If the problem is about the welfare of students, then there is necessity to meet,” Ramasamy’s statement read.

“The issue here is the speech made by the VC at the congress. Was it an academic speech or political or racist?

“If the VC from a respectable university indulged in a racist speech, then his tenure cannot be defended anymore. The most respectable thing is for him to tender his resignation with an apology,” he added.

He further called on Maszlee to explain why he permitted “the four public universities funded by taxpayers money to be part of the organising team of the congress.”

The Malay Dignity Congress took place in Shah Alam on Oct 6 and was attended by more than 5,000 people, including Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad and several Umno, PAS and Pakatan Harapan leaders.

Other prominent attendees at the congress included Perlis mufti Asri Zainul Abidin and singer Siti Nurhaliza.

The event was organised by Universiti Malaya’s Malay Excellence Studies Centre, in collaboration with UiTM, Universiti Putra Malaysia and Sultan Idris Education University.

Many quarters, including DAP veteran and MP for Iskandar Puteri Lim Kit Siang and former higher education minister Khaled Nordin, have questioned the role of public universities in organising such an event.

Organiser Zainal Kling had said the congress was organised in response to certain quarters challenging Malay rights and privileges.

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