Tuesday, November 1, 2011

STUDENT’S REAWAKENING

It now appears that Prof Abdul Aziz Bari’s case can be more explosive than the authorities could handle. University students have reawakened to what I believe are the ‘malice’s’ of the authorities that had all the while kept students remote from the happenings and realities of the outside world. Student’s don’t seem to have a voice, nor are the authorities willing to offer a sympathetic ear. Any actions taken by students are deemed a violation of the rules governing student’s code of conduct and behavior. Opposing voices are not welcomed and if there is anything that need to be said, it must be something soothing to the ears of the authorities. Such inhibition not only applies to students, but it would seem to include the academic staff as well as seen in the recent ‘Prof Abdul Aziz Bari saga’.

It is such a pity that university students today are cocooned in their own little kingdom by such inhibitive rules and regulations pertaining to their code of conduct and behavior. Strange though it may seem, our authorities have yet to recognized that university students are no longer kids; rather they are matured adults with enough capacity to think, rationalized and act in their best interest, and in the interest of their fellow students, universities and colleges. And why is it so wrong that they be forbidden to participate in political rallies or even be a member of a political party and to make their voices heard? Do we not recognized that the development of one’s interest and inclination towards politics (or any other interests) should begin early in their life, and by the time they graduate, they are fully prepared to be actively involved in politics or other activities of their interest.

The action taken by students from various universities to rally and protest against the suspension of Prof Abdul Aziz Bari over a professional opinion he made concerning the Selangor Sultan’s statement on the DUMC affair is to me a healthy start to the student’s right to the freedom of expression and assembly. There wasn’t any stone throwing, burning and damaging public property or causing bodily hurt and injuries. Although there were police helicopters flying overhead during the rally, there wasn’t any tear gas or chemical laced water cannons being sprayed at the students. I think, had there been tear gas or water cannon, the situation could turn ugly. Please remember that we are dealing with the youth who are highly inspired, motivated and believe in their cause. They are bound to retaliate riotously when they are intimidated, challenged and abused, like what was seen during the Bersih 2.0rally. Such were the incidences witnessed in most student/youth rallies throughout the world. And having viewed the mass UIA student's rally on video, I have no doubt that the students would have reacted riotously if the police had acted against them.

Youth movements and assemblies today cannot be seen as having a negative impact on the country. Such a perception has to go. On the contrary, I view student’s rights to an assembly and protest as healthy and a sign of student’s maturity at collective expression, active participation, confrontational in purpose and principled in their cause. University students must end up being leaders of society, and not being mere followers. Such like leadership qualities can best be developed while being a university student.

As I have alluded earlier, the Prof Abdul Aziz Bari’s case can be more ‘explosive’ than the authorities could handle. Sure enough, the professor had received a package with a bullet and a life threatening letter from someone that I would call a coward and the scum of the earth. The student’s demands especially with regards to their freedom of expression including that of the academic staffs have yet to be met and if this isn’t done, students have said that a much larger rally will be held. Let’s hear aloud what the Higher Education Minister has got to say about this. Surprisingly, he has remained mute all the while.


CRUSADE AGAINST CORRUPTION

6 comments:

Frankie said...

Dato',

Suppressing the students' freedom of expression and speech via the UUCA is the government's way to control the minds of the students. UMNO thrives on having the masses being stupid or ignorant and they have to ensure the students remain as such. Have we not noticed the dismal drop in the local universities standards? The UMNO government's modus operandi is very simple:
1) Install its pro-UMNO people as chancellors or deans of the universities to ensure that only UMNO approved syllabus are taught to the students.
2) Deprive the students of a proper high standard higher education so they remain as ignorant despite "graduating" with a worthless piece of paper known as a degree certificate.
3) With huge numbers of unemployable graduates (the private sector cannot afford to hire graduates who cannot speak or write proper English nor think by themselves), the graduates have to turn to the UMNO government for jobs.
4) The UMNO government increases its voters bank by employing the unemployable graduates (who by this time is ever so thankful to the government for employing them and giving them free crutches and wheelchairs) to work in MACC, JHN, Immigration, Customs, etc. Coupled with the annual dose of BTN training, these former students becomes die hard UMNO-BN supporters eternally.

When intellectuals like Prof. Abdul Aziz Bari comes along to awaken the students, the UMNO-BN government has to put down such intellectuals as they will interrupt the government's modus operandi above of "robotising" students. Prof Abdul Aziz Bari will continued to be demonized by UMNO vehicles. Just wait for Utusan, Perkasa. Pembela and other UMNO sponsored NGOs to start making more noises and calling for Prof. Abdul Aziz Bari be stripped of his citizenship!!!!

bruno said...

Dato,we have seen when regimes surpressed their people what can happen.Let us look at our neighbours Philippines,Indonesia and Thailand.Their people were surpressed by their governments with the backing of their armed forces for decades.

When finally the people said enough is enough,and together with university students,protests and demonstrations were held.Sometimes for weeks and months.Armed forces or no armed forces backing,the regimes or dictators were chased into the ocean.

The Umno GOM were able to surpressed the opposition and people with the threat of the draconian ISA.Now ISA or no ISA,the people are voicing their dissatisfaction.The university act forbidding students to being involved in politics,have surpressed students voices and grievences for a long time.The Prof. Bari's fiasco might be the straw that is going to break the camels back.

The fact that the Bersih 2.0 rally and now the university students awakening has the ruling regime cause to worry.Sweaty,restless and sleepless nights,with horrendous nightmares of waking up in exile,in a foreign country called Zimbabwe.Or maybe a VVIP guest of Camp Kamunting,courtesy of the infamous ISA.

monty said...

Dato, This is standard behaviour of the UMNO/BN goons by sending bullets and threats whenever they encounter difficult 'situations' and lost all logic reasoning.Bravo - to the Court Judge who had passed a very wise judgement in favour of freedom of speech and expression by University students.That should be norm exercise by all Universities over the world. Why must Malaysia created such stupid Acts to curb the students voices. Maybe some of our lawmakers are not thinking straight and has very little international exposure in the field of higher education and voted their approval in passing such stupid laws. Good,let the students go to the streets and join hands with Bersih to kick out the UMNO Govt like in the middle east countries.

aceofspade said...

Now get the DUMNO fellas to file a sedition charge against the Learned Judges of Court of Appeal!!!!... This decision is going against the recent "advice" by HRH Sultan of Johore that students sud not get themselves involved in politics....hahahaha

tiongsinwee said...

Datuk,
Another down-grading, embarrassing, n *you make my toe laugh* episode displayed by tne UMNO/Bn govt! It just doesn't make any sense for a mere opinion by Prof. Abdul Aziz Bari towards the Selangor Sultan's speech...that had him landed in some *hot-soup*.
The Western Word, or for that matter...the civilised world wd be laughing(and maybe choking) at our ridiculous mentality. MALAYSIA MEMANG BOLIH! If these things were to happen in the USA or UK.....there wd have been thousands of their citizen behind bars. Occassionally, we do find individuals critisizing n making fun of their President/Monarch. And it seemed quite normal to them...without their govt *jumping the gun*. Maybe, they are too liberal.

cskok8 said...

The stupid minister says university students should not join political parties. Then how come there are UMNO clubs overseas. And the office-bearers get invited to the UMNO general assembly every year.