REMINISCING his secondary school days at now SMK St Michael in Alor Setar (Kedah), veteran journalist and blogger Datuk A. Kadir Jasin has “congratulated” Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Universiti Malaya (UM) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) for their recent decisions to block the democratic space of their undergraduates.
While pupils at St Michael’s during his time were already accorded “ample space to create freedom”, he reckoned that the recent incident whereby graphic artist and activist Fahmi Reza was barred from expounding his thoughts at the said public higher learning in institutions – which is vital to building civil consciousness – “will only invigorate the spirit of the students.
“While the younger generation starts to move forward by harnessing their Undi18 democratic rights, the three public higher learning institutions are still trapped in the old Barisan Nasional (BN) era mindset,” lamented the former Bersatu supreme council member in his latest Facebook post.
In a short clip shared on Twitter recently, Fahmi claimed that he was barred from holding a forum on democracy at UiTM Shah Alam on Thursday (Nov 10).
He could be heard telling about 300 students in attendance that he was asked to stop the session. “The auxiliary police said we need to disperse,” he told the students with the crowd jeering the authorities over the order.
That was the second time Fahmi’s “Kelas Demokrasi” forum was stopped halfway after UKM also halted his session on its campus a day earlier; forcing the organiser to move the class to an outdoor venue. (Editor’s Note: Fahmi was also barred from conducting his workshop at Universiti Malaya and Universiti Sains Malaysia).
Meanwhile, Kadir also congratulated the International Islamic University (UIA) for being “an ivory tower that moves with the changing times while helping in the formation of critical minds”.
“Well done to the students who are aware of their rights and responsibilities, and for wanting to widen the dimensions of their own thinking,” he further noted. “It is very saddening and shameful that an ivory tower moves towards becoming a mind prison. Or the auxiliary police are more powerful than the Chancellors?
In a tweet, follower Nazirah Abdullah also questioned why the three aforementioned universities are blocking the quest to impart a “basic and neutral democratic system” to their undergraduates especially after the Undi18 initiative has been implemented.
“Isn’t it not that a university is a place to learn, and to produce leaders?” she asked. “This is an oppression of academic freedom for the students. Fahmi Reza is here to teach, not to campaign (for the 15th General Election [GE15]).”
In another reply, Auni dismissed accusations that Fahmi has abused his class as an election campaign platform.
“Shame on whoever spread untruth like this. I personally attended the Democracy Class @ UIA two days ago. Fahmi didn’t even mention about voting for PH (Pakatan Harapan),” she clarified. “He reiterated many times that one’s vote is his/her secret. The main point of the democracy class is to impart knowledge to new voters about democracy in Malaysia.” – Nov 13, 2022
