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Saturday, January 10, 2015

UM students reject ‘outdated’ ban on ‘politics’

Decrying university 'culture of fear', group reminds UM of King's speech on freedoms.
UM2KUALA LUMPUR: University of Malaya students, rejecting a blanket ban on student political activities as unconstitutional and not being binding on them, have reminded the university authorities of a speech by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong in 1959 upholding fundamental freedoms such as free speech and free association.
The student group called Progressive criticised the university for resorting to a culture of fear and of attempting to mislead students and staff through outdated regulations that are contrary to the Constitution.
Student leader Vince Tan, secretary-general of Progressive, rejected a circular from the registrar that bans students and staff from organising political activities on campus or anywhere off campus whether in the country or overseas.
He said Progressive believed that the fundamental liberties of students and staff were guaranteed by the Federal Constitution and a university circular baning political activities, “emasculating our basic political rights” was “unlawful, irrelevant and not binding upon us”.
Tan reminded the university authorities that the federal Court of Appeal had previously struck down Section 15 of the Universities and University Colleges Act in a landmark decision declaring it unconstitutional and against the guaranteed right of free speech.
However, the circular cites the Statutory Bodies (Discipline and Surcharge) Act, and “is purportedly a ‘gentle reminder’ to students and staff of such regulations. But Progressive said the university should be mindful of current law and not apply outdated regulations on students and staff.
Tan said the act cited by the registrar could be challenged and would “most probably be struck down as unconstitutional as well” in view of the Court of Appeal decision in a case brought by four students of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
He rejected the university’s contention that students were engaging in “politics” but said their activities were more accurately described as “participatory democracy” under the constitution’s fundamental rights to form associations and exercise freedom of speech to associate with any organization.
“The university administration must be mindful enough not to use laws that are no longer applicable to mislead students and staff,” Tan said.
“We hope that fear mongering is stopped by all parties intending to create a culture of fear among students and staff to curb their political activities on and off-campus,” he said.
He said the university should welcome the increased interest of students and academicians in national affairs as being healthy for democracy. University of Malaya must uphold its slogan *Ilmu Puncha Kejayaan* or “knowledge the key to success” by not restricting academic freedom, he said.
He reminded the university authorities of the first speech by the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong to Parliament in 1959 in which the King said the constitution was a charter of “our common belief that certain fundamental liberties are essential to the dignity and self respect of man”, which included the liberty and equality of persons under the law and the basic freedom of speech and freedom of worship.

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