Two legal activists flay Azizan over remarks on UUCA
| Harakahdaily, | 27 January 2012 |
Jan 27: Kedah Menteri Besar Azizan Abdul Razak's statement supporting the heavily criticised Universities and University Colleges Act has riled up two legal activists.
L-R: Aziz Bari and Hanipa Maidin
Former law lecturer Dr Abdul Aziz Bari, who was briefly suspended by the International Islamic University before he chose to quit his senior teaching post last December, said Azizan's stand was against the principles of academic freedom as embraced by Pakatan Rakyat in its 'Orange Book, or 'Buku Jingga'.
"If he supports UUCA, he should join BN," said Aziz, reminding that among the pledges in Buku Jingga is the repeal of the act.
The Buku Jingga outlines reforms to be implemented by Pakatan Rakyat in the first 100 days after winning Federal power.
Echoing him, lawyer and PAS Central Committee member Hanipa Maidin said anyone who supported UUCA "is not fit to be in Pakatan".
"If he holds any position in any party in Pakatan he should graciously resign," Hanipa wrote on his blog yesterday.
He added that PR could not affort to retain individuals who did not toe the line especially when elections were around the corner.
"As far as Pakatan leadership is concerned, you are either asset or liability," he wrote in remarks believed to be linked to Azizan's statement.
The Kedah MB earlier drew the ire of students groups for defending the suspension of five students of state-owned Insaniah University College (KUIN) in May last year for holding a demonstration protesting the university administration. Despite that, Azizan refused to apologise and said KUIN had acted within "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," he said.
The five KUIN students have meanwhile resorted to legal action to challenge their suspension. PAS Youth has also lent support to the students, saying it hoped the court’s decision would side with them.
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