Students rap Kedah govt for not 'walking the talk'
| Harakahdaily, | 19 January 2012 |
Jan 19: Student leaders have spoken out against the PAS-led Kedah state government over the state-owned Insaniah University College's suspension of five students by invoking the widely criticised Universities and University Colleges Act (UUCA).
Student activist Mohd Safwan Anang who heads the Reclaim Academic Freedom Movement (Bebas) said the action by the college, whose board of directors is headed by Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak, was in contrast to PAS and Pakatan Rakyat's policy against the UUCA.
L-R: Safwan and Ahmad Syukri
“Where is the stand by Kedah PAS representing PR? All these while they have been talking about academic freedom and abolishing the UUCA.
"Yet what is happening is exactly the opposite," said Safwan, who earlier this month suffered injuries when police moved in to violently disperse a students protest against the UUCA in Tanjung Malim, Perak.
The draconian UUCA which curtails dissent among varsity students is one of the acts that PR had pledged to abolish in its 'Orange Book', which outlines reforms to be implemented in the first 100 days after winning Federal power.
Yesterday, several students held a protest outside the PAS headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, urging the party leadership to state their stand on the matter.
The five KUIN students were suspended last May for taking part in a demonstration against the varsity administration at the Speaker's Corner located in the college's Kuala Ketil campus. They have since initiated legal action against their suspension, with a case citation scheduled in March.
Ahmad Syukri Abd Razab who chairs Reclaim Academic Freedom Movement (SMM) meanwhile described their suspension as discriminatory
"The Undergraduates' freedom of speech has been supressed. Our roadshow at KUIN was also stopped from entering the college. This goesd against academic freedom," he added.
According to Safwan, having sent many protest letters to the state government, his group was left with no choice but to seek an intervention from PAS leaders.
“We are not going to send any more memorandum as we have already submitted too many of them. We urge PAS to intervene in this KUIN issue as there has not been any official statement forthcoming from the Kedah state government," lamented Safwan.
Azizan: 'They broke the law'
Breaking his silence, Menteri Besar Azizan (right) claimed that the students had done wrong and as such would be subjected under existing laws.
"So the question of the Kedah government not following the leadership of PAS and Pakatan Rakyat which want to abolish UUCA does not arise.
"KUIN is fully the responsibility of the Kedah state government. The decision to suspend (the students) was made by KUIN's administation... I don't interfere much in such matters," he told news portal The Malaysian Insider.
Azizan also rejected demands by the students for an apology over their suspension, saying he was willing to meet them in court "to see who is right".
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