We can understand why Barisan Nasional, particularly Umno, is so terrified of Anwar Ibrahim. If anyone can send the BN packing off from Putrajaya, it has to be Anwar.
He is the only one who can hold Pakatan Rakyat together and mount an effective challenge to unseat BN from Putrajaya. He is the only one who can galvanise the Malays and non-Malays to come together to bring about a change in government.
Anwar is undoubtedly a political threat to the BN’s power and position. So they fear him – with justification!
Why is Universiti Malaya afraid of Anwar? Is he any threat to UM? What kind of threat does he pose to UM? Why are they imposing a ban on his speaking engagement at the invitation of the UM Students’ Council?
No logical justification has been stated for barring him from speaking at Dataran Dewan Tunku Canselor in UM except some unconvincing and unacceptable reason extended by the UM’s vice-chancellor of student affairs, Professor Datuk Dr Rohana Yusof, who came up with the silly notion “that UM would never allow or support such a programme as it was against the university rules and had tarnished its reputation.”
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What university rules have been breached? In what way can the university’s reputation be tarnished if Anwar were to speak at his alma mater?
Is UM colluding with the BN to bar Anwar from speaking to the students? UM is not an extension of the BN. It is not BN’s agency.
Is UM wilfully denying a free discussion and debate and exchange of ideas in UM?
Any university must live up to its reputation as a seat of learning. It must live up to the peoples’ expectation that it is a powerhouse of knowledge where future leaders are groomed and exposed to various contending issues so that they will come out as thinking and reasoning individuals who can uphold justice and freedom of expression.
But UM is deliberately stifling the growth of mature students who can decide for themselves and organise activities that are deemed necessary and suitable. Can’t the students act as thinking adults who are capable of organising themselves without any interference from the authorities?
If it is feared that Anwar would influence the students so easily, it is a terrible indictment of the university itself. Is it implied that UM students are an unthinking and unreasoning lot who can be swayed effortlessly in spite of their university education? If that is the implication, then it is a disgrace that UM has failed miserably in inculcating critical thinking and analysis.
But that is not the case. It would appear that UM is merely doing a favour to the BN by coming up with silly excuses to prevent Anwar from speaking to the students. They don’t want to give him space to curtail his influence.
Aliran calls on UM to rescind their totally unjustified ban on Anwar and salvage its tattered image caused by its silly actions.
P Ramakrishnan
Aliran executive committee member
26 October 2014
AGENDA RAKYAT - Lima perkara utama
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
I am of the opposite opinion of Anwar’s motive, just remember during the time when he was with Umno his believe was totally different from what he is fighting for now. In fact he was not only (allegedly) a racist and also an anti (minorities). More than once he would (allegedly) tell the minorities to return to their homelands. I personally once was at the stadium at Kampong Bharu heard his clarion call (allegedly) for the minorities to go back where their ancestors came. Why do you think the sudden change of his attitude towards the minorities in Malaysia and also why was he the blue eye boy of the repugnant Mahathir? Why was he hand picked by the repugnant to become his successor…? It was simply because of his (alleged) innate dislike and believe towards the minorities, just like his boss simple as that. It takes one to recognise another. First of all I am a firm firm believer that a leopard can never change its spots and the only real reason why he was sacked as the DPM was his impatience to become the… Read more »
I think you are wrong. Anwar is trying to conquer um students mind with his ideology. His liberal ideology which is highly dangerous to the society. We all know bn is not only about umno it’s also about mic mca and others. So why he attacks umno itself. Cause umno leaders know well his move and tactics and also his dirty … doings. And more anwar use the rakyat word to attract the society as if they are more powerful against the law. Anwar once said if he were determined not to be pm, at least he has changed youngsters thinking to be more aggressive and against the govt using any method. This is something that niccolo machiaveli will be proud of. This country was made using Islamic foundation so let islamic method prove it when settling any issues. Not by street demos and violence
I can see why is your nick is like that, poor fellow. Do tell me what mic and mca can do when umno is the leader. Well to be frank, what have putrajaya done to lessen the burden of rakyat?
I believe that you are able to hold on to your own convictions and stand up against any of Anwar’s ideologies which you deem as being liberal and highly dangerous to the society. But then, what makes you think that the UM students’ minds are so feeble to the point that they can be so easily conquered by Anwar’s words? Aren’t these students supposed to be capable of thinking rationally and critically when gauging Anwar’s words against their own knowledge, lines of reasoning and even moral/religious values and standards?
And about Anwar so-called grudge against UMNO. Since it is claimed that ‘ umno leaders know well his move and tactics and also his dirty … doings’, why don’t the PM or any of the UMNO’s top leadership take the bull by its horns and step forward to debate with Anwar before these university’s students to destroy his credibility once and for all? Shouldn’t this be a better (or more gallant?) proposition than making a joke out of an esteemed higher learning institution?
Our leaders seem quite plainly, and unfortunately far-too-numerious, to have lost their perspective and a sense of humour and fair play in recent years. They have developed a tendency to equate dissension with disloyalty. They view any criticism of the govt. as sedition and subversion.and therefore unwarranted. We criticise or comment with sincerity in our heart except those who personally seek to unnecessarily disparage the govt. for whatever ulterior reason. We, the concerned citizens, should not allow ourselves be swayed from seeking reforms by entrenched bureaucrats, selfish minority groups or organizations which have, and far from altruistic, reasons for wishing to preserve the status quo. The notion that the current state of status quo is perfect and that one must under no circumstances raise questions, voice doubts or seek improvement can only produce complacency, stagnation and mediocrity. Are our leaders blind to the fact that true education is about opening minds – NOT closing them? The university is supposed to be a place for inquiry and debate, not an institution to nurture mughead, brain-washed, brain-dead and brainless future generations of leadership. We need leadership with strong… Read more »